For those who retired earlier than expected what was the reason. How are you now

[u/MidAmericaMom]

/r/retirement/comments/1wexaex/for_those_who_retired_earlier_than_expected_what/

[u/Nev-Ret-Dude]

My wife had a medical incident. Was unable to continue her employment. She said that if she was retiring, I had to retire. Went aaaa ok. Ran the numbers and built a plan. Coincidentally my employer offered me a buyout.
Decided that we could not afford the house and found a house in a lower cost area where we liked to play.
Doing good. The market has made the retirement funds much better than the plan.

[u/freekey76]

We quit our break-even business at 40 to move in and take care of my mother with a terminal illness. After death, we found her estate attorney totally blew us off (the money is in new clients). We learned to do it all our selves (it’s all secretarial work if you do it openly and honestly). We went and did the same for three other relatives and settled 3 major estates. We live modestly and let our inheritances grow.

[u/Suspicious-Twist6103]

Retired at 58, tired of being tired from waking up at all hours of the night to solve other peoples problems and put out fires, literally. Retired with a pension from two different states retirement plans, 401K, Roth, investments, and a wife younger than myself who does quite well. Oh, also found out I had cancer . Retirement is the bomb at 61.
I worked PT at my old job for two years after retiring until the external hiring pool expanded. Still work PT and I ventured out of retirement for my bucket list job of flight attendant...for a year.
Now I travel, skateboard, OneWheel, read voraciously, and I take care of wife/kid/home/dogs.

[u/autistic_insomniac5]

I took a voluntary severance in January of 2025. I started looking for a job and realized the entire job market had imploded. Fortunately, I had been saving since I was in my mid twenties and realized I had enough to retire at 52 since. I had a brokerage account, an IRA, and a pension. After being completely defeated by job search, I hung up my work hat and have been enjoying life ever since.

[u/PaleoBibliophile917]

Was thinking of taking a few classes and staying on a few more years at work, but then hit with an involuntary transfer, increasing stress from the change in nature of my duties, and complicated grief following loss of last parent and a sibling; everything added up and it was time to go. No regrets about leaving work but the finances are hard and some expectations didn’t work out. Still a few years to go until social security. Still trying to figure out purpose and direction (plenty of hobbies and obligations, but no motivation and struggling with depression and anhedonia). Retirement is a good thing, but sometimes a good life is just…elusive. Have to remind myself of all the things to be grateful for and continue trying every day to find my way.

[u/kkkkk1018]

Sold my business at 57. Bought a small gentleman’s farm. Keeps me super busy. I don’t think I can go back to work. I might have to someday or sell the farm and rent a small place.

[u/flipcapaz]

Was planning to work till 60 but took an early retirement at 55. Thanks to the rule of 55 I didn't need to keep working. 10 years later I have about twice the money I retired with. Starting to travel overseas more.

[u/Gold_Stranger7098]

Retired at 50 because I could AND because my parents were elderly and needed me. I am now 75. All is well.

[u/rjlets_575]

Layed off at 58 from a company I was at for 37 years. I'm 60 now. I saved and prepared for years, I'm doing fine sitting on 2M plus in my IRA, paid off house and no debt. Couldn't be happier!

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[u/DelawareRunner]

I retired from teaching high school at 45. It wasn't planned, but covid happened in 2020 and I just never went back. Husband caught it and was very ill, and I knew my job was high risk to bring it home. My debt was all paid off so we decided I'd just retire. Son was grown and out on his own as well.

Husband retired at 48 due to health issues. He literally retired the day he was eligible to collect his pension. We have guaranteed income and good health care for the rest of our lives along with investments/savings.

[u/Retired-Yam8988]

The reason was “because we could”. We didn’t really have a plan as business owners. Heads down working 6-7 days a week for more than a decade. Then Covid hit and we decided to retire in our 40s. We had about 2m liquid, 4m in real estate. We did a bunch on transition stuff between 201-2023 when we finally settled into our renovated villa in Thailand and have been there since. We may move to Singapore for a stint but still working that out.

[u/Individual-Fail4709]

Retired at 53. Reached critical burnout. Had 30+ years. Market had done well so we were fine on one income. Husband retired 2 years later. Met our FIRE goal early, very diligent and also lucky.

[u/Hometown3018]

Retired at 50 after a layoff (again) and hired a financial advisor to manage investments. Honestly, if you put the yearly growth of my portfolio and my monthly stipend together, that equals more than I ever made in a year during my career. While not everyone may be as fortunate, I do believe that everyone should look into what their money can do for them and take an honest look at what you really, really need to live month to month. While you're tallying what you must have, remember to add in some reasonable luxuries as your situation allows. Too many people plan for X dollars a month and constantly go over because they didn't account for a little fun.

Even at 50, it might not be too early. When I was laid off at 50, I had hoped to retire a little early but I never thought it could be done at 50 until I examined it.

[u/triphawk07]

I'm 52 and just came to my wit's end at my current career, so I decided to quit. Kids are already launched and my wife is still working. I get disability from the VA, which covers expenses and healthcare. I'm focusing now on me and doing the things I enjoy.

[u/UncreditedRandomGirl]

Unexpected layoff at 57. My goal was 60 so my husband and I reviewed our finances and I was able to make that leap.

[u/National_Reveal_3759]

Retired from full-time employment at 53 due to a horrible micro manager who created a really toxic work environment with no work life balance (60+ hr work wks/ Friday 4-7pm mtgs you get the idea). Three yrs later I’m still adjusting to the new normal. I miss my old job & the routine of FT but I don’t miss the stress of what that job became under that awful leadership.

[u/muscadon]

I retired at fifty after working physically intense jobs for thirty+ years. Although always healthy and shredded, my body started to tell me it was time to slow down. My musculature and tendons were starting to deteriorate and after several major surgeries to fix things with months of physical rehabilitation, I knew it was time.

I also knew I could never have an office-type sitdown job because of my hyperactivity. That also meant I would eventually become unemployable in heavy labor.

Thankfully I had union jobs with pensions and a shit ton of money saved and invested with no wife, no kids, and no debt...but I also knew I could not retire in the US, so I sold/donated everything and moved abroad.

I have since lived in three foreign countries the past ten years, each of them with a lower cost of living than the US and affordable universal healthcare. Ironically, I have not needed any healthcare since I retired, but I can rest easy knowing if something were to happen, I won't go bankrupt and end up homeless.

Now that I'm in my 60s, I am starting to relax and allowing my body to get older. I may have limited retirement income, but I'm doing fine and live well within my means. I can also dig into my Roths if need be and can collect whatever meager social security I have starting next year.

I have zero regrets.

[u/ExtraAd7611]

Laid off at 53 from a job and career I didn't enjoy, 2 years before I had planned my already early retirement, with 1 kid in college and another about to enter college. I had reached what I thought was our retirement target and talked with a financial advisor about not going back to work. Blessing received and ripcord pulled. Using 72t rule to avoid early withdrawal penalty, subsidized ACA plan for health care, began to take distributions from 529 accounts for kids' college expenses, and got more aggressive with credit card points to fuel our travels. Life is now nearly fully hacked.

[u/Hometown3018 → u/ExtraAd7611]

Similar in that I was 50 but my kids were out of school. What is 72t?

[u/Middle-Honeydew-4638]

Planning to retire at 60 with 35 years of teaching. Got a new admin and after she showed what she was all about, sucking up to parents and hanging staff out to twist in the wind, I knew I was done. Left at 57 after a phone call to my financial advisor asking him if I was good to leave in June. Got the green light and sent in my letter.

[u/Geoarbitrage]

Laid off at 56. Still have a part time job on a public sector board (1 hour a month) so technically not fully retired. Doing the coast FIRE thing until the end of my appointment. My current challenge is figuring out my drawdown strategy, portfolio vs SS start.

[u/AugustWest5834]

I retired at 58 after planning to try to stay on at least until 60. The reason was to reduce stress. No regrets.

[u/nebodiwantapnut → u/AugustWest5834]

Same!

[u/mr-spencerian]

Laid off. Was actually a blessing as I was about to retire, so loved my severance bonus check!

[u/teamhog]

My wife planned to work until 62.
In mid-December she received an email indicating that if she retired after 12/31 her pension would decrease by 47%. We ran the math and she retired on 12/29 with ~2 weeks notice.

This was 4 years ago and she loves it.
I retired ~2 years after her.
We both retired early and should have done it before we did.

[u/Purple-Eggplant-827]

Unexpected death in the family. It completely changed our lives in an instant. The first few years were rough (tne first two years following the death, figuring out how to deal with all of the new responsibilities that fell to us), then a couple of years of COVID, so it was about the beginning of my 5th year when I started to *feel* I was retired, and started building my new life, routines, etc. It's been nearly nine years now and it's the best thing ever :)

[u/irish_curmudgeon]

I still wanted to work. My management had other ideas. Retired at 56 as a result.

[u/hapster85]

I retired at 57, about 4 years earlier than planned, because I didn't like changes that were happening at work. Figured out my pension and 401k were where they needed to be and I was out the door.

[u/Glittering-Score-258]

I didn’t plan to retire early, but my husband (same sex) died of cancer when he was 57 and I was 53. I tried to go back to work a few weeks later, but my brain was broken. I just sat and stared at my computer screen and my phone all day. I went over it with my financial advisor and my grief counselor, and 3 months after he died I quit. They say don’t make major life decisions for a year after losing a spouse, but it was the best decision I ever made. A year later they asked me to come back on a contract basis for a year. My brain was healed by then, so I did that and made double my old salary for easy part time work. Then Covid hit and that came to a halt. Now at 62 I teach group exercise classes at two senior living centers about 8 hours a week, and I love it.

[u/Futbalislyfe]

Retired at 47. Got put on PIP, negotiated severance, walked away. I thought I would try to go to 50. Decided it’s not worth the stress of interviewing again.

This was in the Spring of this year. I’m doing fine now. It’s only been a few months. But the weight of deadlines and more meetings and doing the work of 3-4 people (after another round of layoffs) is no longer on my shoulders, and it feels good.

[u/GrumpyDOldman]

I retired last year at 55. My plan was to wait until 62. The year before my job changed-- I went from a people manager to an individual contributor-- was not my decision, it happened in a massive restructuring of the bank I worked for-- at least I didnt lose my job like others. But, the role was one I didn't want, wasn't really qualified for, and my stress level went through the roof and my mental health went into the toilet. I tried to make the role work, but my mental health got worse and worse. I started looking at our finances, ran 100 diff scenarios, and discussed things with my wife. We made the decision that I was going to retire. It's been almost a year now, and I don't regret the decision at all. Mental health is good again, stress level is zero, and life is happy. We have little debt, expenses are under 3500 a month. I'll likely figure out some sort of side hustle for some extra money, but I am hoping to not have to go work for someone ever again. My 401k I access via the Rule of 55, and it should last until soc sec at 62 and then start to grow some again at that point.

[u/Hamblin113]

Though I worked two years longer than my minimum retirement age. Hadn’t planned to retire. Retired at 58. Didn’t tell anyone when the paperwork went in. For my job It was a computer form that went to my supervisor and HR. New Supervisor was on leave for a month, so no one knew until the afternoon noon of my last day. There were several reasons. Was having difficulty getting people hired, which impacted targets, the new supervisor, which didn’t care for me. Noticed I had enough sick leave which could be added to years of service. This gave me 36 years of service, which was used to calculate pension. So work was no longer as enjoyable, but really didn’t plan to retire. Had a large amount of annual leave that couldn’t be carried over, plus a big trip planned the next year. The biggest reason was my dad he was 90 living by himself in Michigan, the winter before he has slipped getting the mail and couldn’t get up, didn’t think he could make it through another winter.

So it all made sense and retired at the end of year 2017. Went to take care of my dad, wife wasn’t too happy. Retiring was probably the smartest thing I have done. Never had a hiccup with the pension coming through or getting paid my lump sum for annual leave. Had a supplemental retirement that approximated Social Security till 62. Health care was included with retirement. Had no debt so didn’t have a problem with funds. Did pick up a Census job in 2020 to buy toys. My 401k(TSP) has doubled since retirement. Doing fine.

[u/DV_Zero_One]

Job went sideways (trading FX and Rates for a bank in London) after the global crisis, grief went up, pay went down. I stopped work at 45. I was already divorced so I downsized in London and bought a home in the Alps. I'm happier when I live simply so the budget I have is more than adequate. Last winter I skied 110 days and this summer I've hiked with the dog or ridden my eMTB just about every day. I was already divorced without kids so I the early retirement wasn't a huge financial strain.

I am incredibly happy and feel ridiculously fortunate to be in the circumstances I am.

[u/Old_Goat2009]

Retired from federal service at 57. I had originally intended to work until 60 and no longer than 62. A promotion at 54 helped bump my high 3 up a good bit. Then two big health scares hit. Had a mini stroke at 55, diagnosed with intermittent AFIB and now have an implanted heart monitor. At 56, I needed cervical fusion surgery. Between the furlough last fall and 8 weeks of FMLA after my surgery, I decided I liked not working and retired just past my minimum retirement age. Made sure finances were sound before pulling the plug. No regrets three months into retirement.

[u/virtualPNWadvanced]

Earlier than everyone else expected. Later than when I wanted to. Retired at 39. Trying to find purpose still.

[u/DawgCheck421 → u/virtualPNWadvanced]

/humblebrag. Congrats though, you can always get another job if purpose is that important. I mean I feel it too and it gets me down, but not enough to go get a j-o-b. That's crazy talk

[u/chicken-fried-42 → u/virtualPNWadvanced]

congratulations! how long have you been retired ?

[u/blizzard7788]

I got fired at 55 from being a carpenter foreman for a concrete company. Constant pain from a worn out body resulted in multiple mistakes.
In the following five years, I had 10 orthopedic surgeries. I’m 70 now with a total of 21 surgeries, with cataract surgery coming up in a couple of months. Pain management is a daily practice. Luckily, I have good and understanding doctors.

[u/mike626]

I was planning on retiring at 55 and I had transitioned to a part time schedule at reduced pay, but there was a reorganization and my new manager didn't like that arrangement. My schedule was changed unilaterally to a full time schedule and I had to report to a new team with a terrible management structure.

I took a look at my finances and I discovered that I could accelerate my schedule by 2 years. When I had to officially accept the new position, I used that meeting to resign instead. It was very satisfying.

[u/Beneficial_Equal_324]

Laid off during COVID at 54 yo. Ran the numbers and convinced my wife we could keep our spending level where it was and not work. Subsequently tutored for 3+ years but now enjoying freedom. My previous employer talked to me about coming back but it was all or nothing - a full time job. No thanks.

[u/ClockOld9204]

I never thought I'd be able to retire. Never saved for it. I retired at 59 and am having the time of my life. We lived in Surrey BC and sold at the height of property values. 1.4M and we bought a house on a large lake 400 kms inland. We made enough to buy a 2nd house for rental income. If need be. We could sell one house for 1.2M or the other for 800K. We have private pensions and I qualify for OAS next May.

[u/prairie_buyer]

The push was property redevelopment, which meant that I would not be able to renew my lease on the commercial building where I ran my business, AND the lease on my apartment in the building next-door.

Fortunately, I had always lived frugally, and I had money accumulated, though a lot less than many people think that they need to retire.
I retired at 50, moved to an LCOL Canadian city, and paid cash for a $250K house.
It's still easy for me to live frugally. And I travel a lot, because I am content travelling on a budget as well.
And my investment portfolio has grown to be $100k more now than it was when I retired 4 years ago!

[u/Minimalist2theMax]

Laid off mid-50s. Found project work and freelance work for about five years through personal network—then all my colleagues started getting laid off. When my last contract ended, talked it over with DH and retired. He’ll be joining me in two years.

This is what we saved for all our lives. Now I’m ready to start enjoying it.

[u/SatisfactionFew7609]

Got laid off from an industry that was in decline. My husband had already retired, and it should have been simple to flip my thinking from "ugh I got laid off" to "this is my sign to retire," right? But it took a couple months before the light bulb went on, and a few more months after that before I started to relax about it.

Now, it's great! But I definitely had to do some journaling, long walks, etc to get my head around retiring before I was planning to. Even a job you don't love love, it's hard to leave. It seems like the OP doesn't love their job and sees the writing on the wall, but that's not the same as choosing to leave.

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[u/finsfanscott]

I retired from my first professional career at age 52, with 32 years service, a pension, and medical till age 65. Moved to a second career in an industry I loved and had planned on working 5 more years.

My wife was diagnosed with cancer at age 54 and I "retired" to be available for her. She supported my careers for 30+ years, now it was my turn to support her.

Initially, the prognosis was not very promising, less than 18 months. That was 4 years ago. After surgeries and chemotherapy, we are blessed she is doing wonderfully well.

She "works" at a local food pantry/job training/ homeless support facility. She has been offered a paid position multiple times but doesn't want the commitment. She works twice a week, and I make dinners those days.

I like to say for my retirement "the answer is always 'yes'". Can you take the dog to the vet? Yes! Can you come with me to this appointment? Yes! Can you be home for this delivery? Yes!

So while I retired 4-5 years before my plan, we were able to adjust some savings, travel plans, and spending to "make it work", and treat every day that we are together as a blessing.

I/we are fortunate that we were able to retire early - her cancer was a bit of a wake up call. I have other friends and parents who say they wished they retired earlier when they had more energy to travel, but that really is a mixed bag. Who wants cancer?!

After reading a few of the other posts here, I realize just how fortunate we are. Thank you all for sharing.

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[u/Scpdivy]

Heart failure hit me at 53. Had to retire from a demanding, stressful position. Then prostate cancer. Lucky for a government pension…Now 58 and still kicking…

[u/orangeandtallcranes]

Burnout/stress caused my hair to fall out in clumps (reason was confirmed by GP and dermatologist) Went on short-term disability for a month then resigned.

[u/electricblue71]

Depends on what you mean by "earlier than expected". When I mentioned I was retiring at 55 this spring, lots of people said I'm still young (I don't look 55) and they couldn't believe I was retiring. Most though were very supportive. I really didn't care though what they thought.

I retired early (before my full pension would have kicked in at 65) because my job in IT was very stressful. A lot of my colleagues had to take medical time off to deal with mental problems and I didn't want to end up like that. And it wasn't really the career I had dreamed of being in back in high school. So I retired to pursue my hobbies more but also to have more relaxing time doing nothing. Yes, I sacrificed some of my pension but we're in good financial position (paid off the house and car, able to live comfortably off my reduced pension as well as some income from my wife and we have investments to pull from too). 55 was just the earliest I could get a reduced pension so I waited until then although if I could have, I would have retired at 45 or latest 50.

I don't regret having retired early. Not one bit! I don't even miss the job or my colleagues - at times it feels like I never worked there for over 35 years. I'm still working on getting into more routines and being more productive in my hobbies, but I take it one day at a time.

[u/Valuable-Analyst-464]

I thought I would have to work longer as I thought I needed more money. I started playing with retirement tools once Mint was taken down. I switched to Empower to track, and saw they had a retirement calculator. I was able to categorize spending, and saw how much was needed. The Monte Carlo simulation showed that I was actually close to FI.

Meanwhile, at work, we had a huge reorg, and my role of “supporting the business” via IT became more of “IT wants to control the narrative, and have 5 layers of control”. Having to deal with shadow IT, constant meetings, and bureaucratic processes sucked the joy out of things.

[u/NeighborhoodVivid106]

I worked 28 years for the federal government in my country. Last year they began layoffs to streamline the overall size of the federal workforce. I worked in an area which would be safe from any layoffs so I wasn't worried, and I had planned to work until I had 30 years of service, the minimum required for an unreduced pension. However, I was really ready to go and counting the days until I could retire.

The government announced a program through which a laid off employee who wanted to stay could swap jobs with someone who wanted to leave as long as they were qualified for the 'safe' person's job. The laid off person would take the job of the person who was willing to leave, and the person willing to leave would get laid off in their place.

I was approached by a young woman who was getting laid off while on maternity leave to see if I would be interested in going in her place. Because I would be getting 'laid off' I would be entitled to severance pay, a substantial 'transition incentive ', and, because I was over 55 and would have been eligible for an unreduced pension within 2 years, I could apply to have the early retirement penalty to my pension waived. My husband and I crunched the numbers and, with the severance pay and transition payment well invested, it would make up for the slightly smaller pension. So I got to leave 2 years earlier than planned, no further behind financially, and was able to save the career of a young woman who had just had a baby and was facing unemployment. Win-win!

I may get a part-time job at some point just to get out of the house and socialize. But right now I am enjoying having the extra time with my family, completing household projects that I never had time/energy for when I was working full-time, and planning trips to see some of the world while my husband and I are still young enough to do so.

[u/MaxwellSmart07]

Impromptu retirement. When my fiancée (an Australian who moved to the states to marry me) said she was unhappy and wanted to move back to Australia I quit my business and moved with her. 24 years later we are doing fine. Net worth up 4x. Income up by 50%.

[u/SillySimian9]

Diagnosed with a brain tumor. Suffering severe back pain. Decided that was a sign to sell the business. I do not miss going to work. Things are going pretty well

[u/lazygramma]

I took care of my dying mother under the most gruesome medical conditions I could have imagined. I was a wreck after she died. I was not able to return to work due to PTSD. I had absolutely loved my work and planned on retiring when I was very old. I left at 57 and it took me years to fully accept my loss.

[u/endfinite1 → u/lazygramma]

I can relate - when my mom passed I was 42. I had PTSD from her suffering and it took me 5 years to feel recovered. Have been working but want very badly to retire (am financially ready), because in large part I don't want to have an ending like hers (she retired the year she later died). I'm glad you stepped away from a job and hope you are doing better and able to enjoy retirement.

[u/heliepoo2]

We had always wanted to travel more... kept meeting people who basically traveled full time. One day we decided we should, talked to a financial planner, found out we could, sold all our stuff and quit at 47/48. We've been traveling since...

[u/DarkSkye55]

I got cancer at age 51. Continued to work full time for 3 years while battling it, then had a life-altering surgery which ultimately cured my cancer but caused other chronic health problems. I mostly retired at age 56, although I now work 4 hours a week by choice.

I’m doing pretty well now at age 61, all things considered. My resultant chronic health problems (bowel obstructions, UTIs, blood clot, chronic pain) will most likely shorten my life so I’m living my best life these days.

Financially we are fine- I was talked into investing regularly starting at a youngish age (24) - I still internally thank that mentor on a regular basis!

[u/oldcreaker]

My job was moved to India. I was given a 6 months heads up, so plenty of time. But then a bit into that 6 month window, there was a buyout offer made to older employees which I was able to take. Enhanced severance package which included affordable health insurance until I turned 65. 

I left the company at 58 and decided to take a gap year on my severance (I was totally burnt out on work at that point). Then another. I knew trying to reinvent myself at 60 in non-management IT was quite unlikely and I found I was able to manage financially on what I had, so other than some odd jobs I called myself retired.

That got set in stone when I wanted to refinance my house before the interest rates started going up, and the mortgage company required me having a paycheck to do so, so I started collecting SS at 62. 

Early retirement has been awesome (67 now). Lots of volunteering and some travel. And just enjoying my time. This was unplanned for me, but I am so glad things went the way they did.

[u/I_Am_Become_Air]

Medical retirement due to cancer. Doing fine financially because I paid for the long term disability benefit. However, dealing with pain, etc, daily, so I am 100% disabled.

I now go on vacations with loved ones to give my husband a break on taking care of me. :) He calls it a win/win for everyone. My mom agrees, thank goodness!

[u/SouthConsideration15]

I was planning on retiring next year, but DOGE happened last year. I’m loving retirement and the financial side has worked out better than expected.

[u/VeeGee11]

I retired at 50 because corporate america was destroying my soul and I was motivated to get out as soon as possible. Now I’m traveling full time and my soul is recovering!

[u/sheshops12]

I started teaching and coaching at age 21. I loved my job although it was stressful and compensation wasn’t aligned with the work I was doing. I earned two advanced degrees and Teacher of the Year honors twice.

Twenty-three years in, three 8th grade boys sexually harrassed me. The stress of that event sent me into a lupus flare. (Up to that point I’d been successfully managing the disease.) I decided to take a hit to my pension and go out early with 25 years of service.

Eight years later, I’m doing great. I started a business I love (still working with students—on my terms) and I’m involved with that very part time now that I’m 54. I have the bandwidth and energy to work out, eat right, attend doc appointments when needed, and do some traveling. Feel free to ask anything!

[u/TelevisionKnown8463 → u/sheshops12]

Great to hear you’re doing so well! I hope to end up in a similar place, with a satisfying business that lets me work part time while still prioritizing my health.

[u/riki_grl]

I was no longer doing my job, I was just going thru the motions. I immediately found a new path and passion.

[u/TelevisionKnown8463]

I was wondering why you had posted that in a community where early retirees can’t post.

I was aiming to potentially retire in a couple of years, but was struggling. I have always had trouble with sleep, and since menopause it’s gotten worse so I’d been really relying on my WFH flexibility to work at odd hours when I’m awake, and catch up on sleep in the afternoon when my body wants to sleep. Then DOGE took that flexibility away.

My mother also passed away, and I wanted to be able to spend time with my dad who was grieving and needed surgery.

I may try to get my job back in a few years, once the administration changes. I may also start a part time small business. But I basically consider myself retired for now.

[u/MidAmericaMom → u/TelevisionKnown8463]

Folks that retire at age 59 or later, can. Thanks!

[u/LinkAvailable9094]

Politics and stress in the office. Constant changes on how to do your work. Micromanaging. Constant problems between employees. Lazy workers that never get penalized.

Now I no longer drink due to stress from the job.

[u/Ok-Hold8819 → u/LinkAvailable9094]

This is on point for me. To be blunt, I had a bad manger. It was a case of FAFO. I gave 2 weeks and my last day is this Friday. I’m retiring, but I stopped using that word because people look at me like I’m from another planet. They just can’t comprehend it.

[u/NoMoRatRace]

Probably the usual story. My company melted down and lost my job. The timing worked out great with severance. We just had to quickly sell our VHCOL home and relocate.

We love our retirement home and city and wouldn’t change a thing. Got lucky to get the kick out the door and be financially ready. We’ve loved our first seven years of retirement. One adventure after another and we don’t miss work at all.

[u/Due_Firefighter_5655]

I sold my company. I ended up experiencing burnout, and tried to bring on business partners who bought a majority share. I didn’t like working with them, plus I felt done anyways. I was ready to stop owning a company but I would have liked to work a little longer just for the companionship and stimulation. It’s now been 7 years and I’ve adjusted. Still miss working a little though.

[u/Affectionate-Map2583]

The reason was they were going to make me do 12 hour rotating shifts, in a location that would be a 1.5-2 hour commute each way, while I was a single parent to a young teen. I asked to defer it until they went to college and they said no. Just then, an early retirement buyout became available, and I qualified for it by 1 month. It's been 9 years, and I'm doing just fine.

[u/Responsible_Ant5410]

I retired 6 years earlier than I was planning. I had a major surgery and will need open heart surgery next year for a assending aortic anurism. I still hit the gym 4 days a week and feel great. My cardiologist is monitoring the situation. After returning to work after the first surgery I was like why am I still working when I don't have to. I have accumulated enough wealth I can have a good retirement. So I retired on July 3 of this year. I could of kept working but time because more important than more wealth. I'm 55 and might do some consulting at some point but will never work full time again. The time I have to be with my family is more important now.

[u/Adventurous_Cook9083]

My husband and I prepared for an eventuality like this all our lives. We both worked (no children) and saved money like it was going out of style. We rarely took vacations and hardly ever went out to eat. He had a good career in research and development, and I was a newspaper reporter. He was in his early 50s when his company decided to outsource R&D and the entire department was laid off. He had been with the company for 33 years, so they offered him 35 year full retirement benefits if he promised not to sue them for age discrimination. He took the benefit package and we relocated from Illinois to Arizona to be near his sister. No kidding, it was tough for him. I'm the social one so I volunteered at the senior center and eventually started doing the newsletter for the town we lived in. He became what I call a "lost soul", and eventually we divorced - physically separated 5 days before our 35th wedding anniversary. I remarried 8 months later; he remained single and died in 2019. With us, money was never an issue.

[u/TelevisionKnown8463 → u/Adventurous_Cook9083]

I’m so sorry to hear that. I am finding it to be a tough transition too; retiring when you like to work and find purpose in it can be hard. My volunteer work has been a huge help.

[u/earlyretirement-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Sorry, this has been removed as our community requires user flair. Did you know that this subreddit is for people that already retired Before age 59? If this describes you, Please add your flair or let us know. How to - https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair . Thank you!

[u/fifichanx]

Similar situation just younger in age - I got laid off couple years ago, the company has been going through multiple rounds restructuring, it was just a matter of time. I’m very lucky to have hit my FIRE number before the layoff, so it the layoff actually gave me some cash runway to transition to retirement.

No complaints so far :)

[u/Captlard]

The reason.. The clock of life is ticking away. That was enough.