<p>The problem with pushing the retirement age out to 70 (or beyond) is that you need a job that you can either stay in until age 70 or find at age 55 or 60 or beyond which may not be easy. My last job ended when I was 54 so I am now sorta kinda involuntarily retired. There are many articles that describe how many people have been forced into early retirement due to recent economic conditions, rather than delaying retirement. Sure, they would work until age 80 if they could find a job. If a person is unemployed, broke and 62 they file for social security early.</p>
<p>I agree with ingerp. Social Security is not sustainable if it pays benefits, on average, for almost 20 years. I will transition to something I love (volunteer or not-for-profit lower pay) at some point because I want to “give back” and because I believe working/volunteering keeps the mind and spirit younger. I also fear the whole health insurance uncertainty. We are fortunate that we can afford to retire in our late 50s (5 and 10 years from now), but I think one of us will keep a job with health care benefits longer. I do look forward to more time to exercise, read, travel, socialize, etc.</p>
<p>What is this “retirement” of which you speak?</p>
<p>H retired at 60 or so when we moved to TN and there really weren’t good opportunities for him. He has plenty to do.</p>
<p>I’m shooting for 65 or 66. I just turned 60. My kids were really expensive to raise, and I need more earning time. We should be in good shape then. At this point, we are both fit and healthy, but I know how quickly that can change. There are days I wish I could pack it in, but most days I’m happy with my job and career and can keep going. I do get tired, though.</p>
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<p>Last election, it amazed me that John McCain was able to campaign for president at 72. And Mitt Romney, at 65, is able to campaign presumably without the aid of caffeine. If I kept the kind of campaign schedules of any of the politicians, I would be sick after 2 or 3 weeks.</p>
<p>DH will be 60 and I will be 57 unless he insists on continuing to work. I will not permit him to go beyond 62 though.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, you are not going to permit your husband to go past age 62?
Did you tell your husband you are going to off him before his 63rd birthday?</p>
<p>You really shouldn’t write that stuff on a BB. :)</p>
<p>No, actually I want him to quit work by 62 to keep him good and healthy so he can give me the attention I need for a very long time. He does enjoy his career, though. So weird to me. I do not have that kind of work ethic. It’s a good thing one of us does.</p>
<p>So after saddling younger people with generations of debt, and failing to save for their own retirements, now they are refusing to step aside and let the next generation have jobs and build their careers.</p>
<p>Just another sign that the boomer generation is the most selfish in history.</p>
<p>“I do not have that kind of work ethic.”</p>
<p>I don’t either. I think work is for rats. Or ants.</p>
<p>I hope my kids don’t read this. Lol</p>
<p>“I am saying I don’t believe in work after you are financially independent”, love dad. ;)</p>
<p>notrichenough, there’s some truth in what you post. I was just reading how the 68-year-old president of Princeton is stepping down but will go take a full emeritus professorship rather than retire. As my DH said, “She no doubt did a wonderful job, but why not just volunteer her time to the school and give the income stream and teaching opportunity to a young person?”</p>
<p>Notrichenough, you bring up a very interesting point.</p>
<p>My dad is still a full-time engineering professor at the age of 75. He flies all over the world, speaking at conferences (he just got back from South Africa). He still supervises PhD students. I think he will work until they carry him out.</p>
<p>My MIL, an MD by training, practiced homeopathic medicine until two years ago, when she was 86. Her kids had to make her stop working.</p>
<p>I talked to a 68-year-old engineer at a professional meeting last night. He collects SS, but takes on design jobs to supplement his income.</p>
<p>My husband is 58, and our youngest child is only 14. He will be working for awhile! </p>
<p>All these people I have mentioned love(d) their work. My dad could have retired comfortably years ago, but he would not have been happy!</p>
<p>I retired after 30 years in the Feds at the age of 62 to take a full time University position. I expect to retire in two plus years from the highly demanding and stressful, but interesting and psychically rewarding, University position at the age of 72. I’ll have ten years in and although an administrator I will be eligible for emeritus status and certain cool perks, free parking on campus and free city bus passes. </p>
<p>My retirement will coincide with my wife’s who is also a retired Federal employee. She will be 68 and by working through the end of 2014 she will be exempt from the Windfall Elimination Provision and will get her full social security benefit. For a large portion of her Federal employment she paid into SS, but it was not FERS, so she is already receiving a very nice Civil Service pension. I’m not exempt and currently get a reduced SS benefit along with my Civil Service pension. </p>
<p>In total we will have six pensions between us as well as IRAs and Thrift accounts. We are looking forward to a very pleasant retirement. Only problem for me is what the heck will I do?</p>
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<p>I have dutifully maxed out my 401K since I was eligible to contribute (when I first started work you had to be a partner to participate). I haven’t made investments that I thought were on the highly risky scale, but after the stock market plunge of 4 years ago, etc. I actually have a small negative return on investment. Few people have pensions anymore. </p>
<p>I think it’s a lot less selfish to keep working than to retire when I don’t have enough money to live on.</p>
<p>Tsdad, 6 freaking pensions…</p>
<p>You should do whatever you want to do.</p>
<p>Maybe even go to class.</p>
<p>“Only problem for me is what the heck will I do?”</p>
<p>My plans for a “comfy retirement” got a bit of a shock last week. I was delivering my D back to school Sunday night when my car got towed. I found the car right away, but needed QUICK transportation to the impound lot. My D asked a friend, mid-20’s with a full time job plus live-in boyfriend with a full-time job. They said “Yes, if you can give us a couple bucks for gas.” They only had enough gas in their 15-year junker to get them to work and back (until payday). </p>
<p>At this point I’m thinking I could spend several lifetimes helping others considerably less fortunate than myself … without ever setting foot in a Soup Kitchen.</p>
<p>It’s pretty bad when two people with full time jobs have trouble buying a tank of gas.</p>
<p>Who CAN afford gas?</p>
<p>Barring any hardships, our house will be paid off in 2026. We’ll be 62. Once we reach that birthday and financial milestone, we’ll start looking into retirement. It won’t be wise for us to retire a day earlier, IMO. </p>
<p>We’re so healthy, though, that I fear we’ll live into our 90’s. Good grief. First question is will our money last that long? The second is, how will we fill our time for 30 years?! 
;)</p>
<p>“It’s pretty bad when two people with full time jobs have trouble buying a tank of gas.”</p>
<p>Even worse when over half of those under the age of 25 are unemployed. (I’m talking Spain here.) America has it good, relatively speaking …
[Desperation</a>, anger grows for Spanish youth, with 51 percent unemployed - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57449322/desperation-anger-grows-for-spanish-youth-with-51-percent-unemployed/]Desperation”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57449322/desperation-anger-grows-for-spanish-youth-with-51-percent-unemployed/)</p>