Jeff-C175 7,202 #26 Posted March 29, 2022 3 hours ago, rmaynard said: Friday April 1 is my wife and my 50th wedding anniversary Happy Anniversary! 50 years, awesome! Seven to go here. 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,232 #27 Posted March 29, 2022 3 hours ago, rmaynard said: Friday April 1 is my wife and my 50th wedding anniversary I warmly congratulate both of you. Well done. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,191 #28 Posted March 29, 2022 OK, here's another old farts retirement story. Growing up in the '50s on my Grandfathers small farm in the Appalachian Mts. in SW PeeAaa, like all mountain kids, I worked the farm and the hand dug coal mines at a very young age. We were pretty much self sufficient, living off the land by hunting, fishing, home gardens, mining coal for heat (granddad had 3 hand dug coal mines on the farm), cutting pulp wood and timber and delivering coal to the homes in Cumberland ,Md for cash. So, when I was 62 and had allready worked for 50 years, I got in a dispute with my 42 year employer over the amount of my vacation time I had earned. So I retired as an employee and took my full pension that was locked several years earlier when most companies switched to 401K pensions,. The next day I signed a good contract to continue working as a consultant. All benifits ended and I was payed a flat hourly rate. but I could now work to suit my life schedule that was rapidly filling up with four grandsons ,family vacations ,hunting, fishing, and crabbing trips. I actually now had excess income, so I did not take social security until I was 65 when I signed for medicare and SS. I was able to invest heavily into our 401Ks during this time. At 65 and on medicare, social security, and monthly pension, I tapered off working during the next few years and did most of my work at home with only one or two in office meetings per week. The only downside to retiring before 65 was my company group health insurance ended when I retired. I did use the COBRA law to buy my same company insurance for the next 18 months. Then I had to purchase a private plan for the remaining 18Months till I was 65. This was expensive. One interesting detail I learned when I decided to apply for social security. We used to get a summary of the exact amount you paid into your social security account. Using this, I knew exactly the amount I had paid in. The US death rate stats are used in the calculation your monthly payments. Based on my health history and age, was scheduled to take the dirt nap at age 77. Using 77 as the payment end date, my total SS return was within one hundred dollars of the amount I paid in. This was true regardless of when I began collecting SS ie early 62, full 66, or late 70. I'm past 77, so I am finally reaping some interest on my SS investment. What would I say to youngsters that may want to retire with security some day? buy American made products.....regardless of price, you can not afford not to buy American... do not borrow money.... save until you have enough cash. chances are you will realize you didn't really need or want it take full advantage of Roth IRA savings and company match 401K plans live within your means No one owes you anything...work for what you want Take care of your family, friends and neighbors where you can see your charity being properly used Sorry for the rant, but this is what old farts do when it's too cold to play outside. 2 3 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Kennell 38,191 #29 Posted March 29, 2022 8 hours ago, rmaynard said: Friday April 1 is my wife and my 50th wedding anniversary Best Wishes Mr and Mrs M. Mrs. M, is there a story behind you marrying this big guy on Fools Day? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,586 #30 Posted March 29, 2022 @Ed Kennell Well put… 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Handy Don 12,232 #31 Posted March 29, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, Ed Kennell said: another old farts retirement story You done good, Ed (and had a good sidekick to work with along the way). The key elements of your tale are still the best advice--live within your means and plan/save/invest in your own retirement. Out of that will come your timing. Social Security is a nice chunk, but it ain't nearly enough to live on. Work can be fun and rewarding, as it was for me most of the time, and it is habit forming (the semi-mostly bumps in the checking account were also nice) but as several folks here have noted, retirement can be fun and rewarding too. No one-size-fits-all, right? Just like we all choose different horses! Edited March 29, 2022 by Handy Don 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 15,491 #32 Posted March 29, 2022 2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said: Best Wishes Mr and Mrs M. Mrs. M, is there a story behind you marrying this big guy on Fools Day? Every year he tries to call April Fool on me, and every year he fails Mrs. M. 1 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
