Realistically, what will “retirement” look like for you?

Probably won’t be able to retire.

If things go as planned, I will take SS at age 70 and will finally have enough cash to live comfortably on, at least for a few years. Other than that, old age is a train wreck.

Hopefully as long as my health holds out,lots of golf and time with Mrs Squeeky, maybe some lite traveling as long as my arthritis can put up with it.

@thisismyusername: So will it be just business as usual until the inevitable end? Do you anticipate no changes in schedule, lifestyle, income source?

@kritiper: Why only a few years?

That sounds nice @SQUEEKY2

@kripter Is that the age you want to retire or that’s the age you have to, to be able to afford to live?

I live in the U.S., don’t work for any level of government, and have never been a union member. Thus, I have no pension whatsoever.

Just like nearly every American of my generation, I’ll need to earn an income for as long as possible. Then, I’ll spend the rest of my senior years living on a budget, relying on Social Security and trying to extend my IRA assets.

I’m shooting for 60 and planning accordingly for it.

@cookieman: “So will it be just business as usual until the inevitable end? Do you anticipate no changes in schedule, lifestyle, income source?”

Honestly, I have no idea, but I suspect it won’t be pretty. I suspect at some point, I won’t be able to keep working, whether it be from a layoff that results in difficulty finding a job, or sickness. Then, I might be fighting for the right to greet customers at Walmart or something depressing and low-paying.

The saucy maid from below stairs will not be able to sit down for weeks…just sayin

Probably work until 70, then live frugally on retirement, savings.

@cookieman Because the average life expectancy for a male is 76.6 years. (50/50 chance.)

^^ Ahh, got’cha.

As for me, I realized a few years ago that the likelihood of me being able to retire in the traditional sense (golf, travel, not work) was slim to none. I had no retirement plan (pension, 401K), no inheritance, and whatever equity I can amass in my house will likely go toward my daughter’s college and/or wedding.

I knew I would just work until I dropped dead. I did, however, have options about how I would work. At the time I was working 60–70 hours a week under a ton of stress. My goal, or retirement plan, was to teach full time, become an assistant/associate professor, and after twenty-odd years (in time for retirement) make full professor.

This way, I’ll still technically be working full time, but only on campus part time, summers off, and eligible for sabbaticals. That’s the plan.

I’ve been planning for my retirement for over thirty years now. I have a six-part plan. Between:
• IRAs
• 401(k)
• company pension (we still have one from back in the day)
• Social Security
• equity in the house (now that the mortgage is paid off), and
• selling every-damn-thing I own on eBay,
I figure that I can retire within five years after I die.

@chyna That’s the age I’ll need to be to make enough from SS to make me happy and at a point where I can afford (I hope!!) to quit working. Besides, I own and operate my own biz so working until I’m 70 ain’t no thing.

I’m studying right now to become a medical coder. My plan is to eventually work from home to help support us when Jon retires. He’s only 47 so that won’t be for a while. I see myself working as long as I can so my husband can get a break after beating up his body for decades.

I’ll probably be doing something related to engineering or teaching, but only a few hours a week. Just enough to not get bored.

@Aethelwine: That sounds like a good plan. I think for our generation, “retirement” might be working smarter (working from home, working less) rather than not working at all.

It used to be that old Engineers would die around 18 months after retirement. Those were the ones that had nothing interesting to do aside from work.

In fairness, @RocketGuy, those were also the ones who had to live with the old lady 24/7 after retirement, too.

… no comment.

Funny, I hear older women starting to work right after their husbands retire.