Depends what you consider retired. I quit working for someone else when i was 27. I still dont really work but make as much or more than i did when i was working except now i just do what i want and a fraction of the amount of time working on other peoples stuff.

Once, after a big Turkey Day meal, I retired at 6pm.

Age 49 here...I was lucky.

45

Well, actually, I got fired.

And never got another job.

I rearranged the rental properties and made more than twice what I did working. Now I'm about the same as if I was working. Retirement for me is going for a surf, walking the dogs and donating money to the stock market.

I retired at 38 from Coast Guard, did my full twenty years...went back to the family ranch now I just putt around playing cowboy. There's no money in ranching anymore so its mostly just passing the time watching cattle grow up from babies. Spent most of today shooting reloads for my 6.5PRC getting dialed for hunting season. I'm just hammering my 8 inch, 737 yard gong.-WW

Nice!

If there's stuff you want to do and work is interfering with it, and you can afford it, just do it already.

You're only getting older. Get on it before you're limited by your health and a vacation means being stuck on a cruise ship.

Retired 15 years ago at 50.
50s are healthy fun years to be retired.
30 years FAA.
Retirement was mandatory at 56 so had been preparing for early retirement all my career.
Most people have to be 80 to have been retired 15 years.
My goal to be retired longer than my career.

48yo.

I got "retired" or "gently guided out by HR" depending on who you talk to. I thought it out and at some time realized that I was done with the stress, the travel, the security BS and the weekly (at best) panic attacks. Good riddance, in other words.

I'm looking at vo-tech welding classes. I'm likely the saddest, worst, whatever metallurgist with lots of degrees yet I've never sparked up a weld. Gonna fix that soon I think...

I think the question is, do you want to feed yourself until you die, or what level of adventure tire or comfort do you aspire to in the mean time?

IMO retirement is a frame of mind. If you work because you have to, you are not retired. If you work because you want to, then you are mentally retired. So with that in mind, I retired around 40. Came out of retirement when I married and had kids, and then just recently retired again at 50.

52 for me, due to a year off for disabling injury. Decided I didn't want to go back. Then worked pt from 57-60 just to help a buddy out.
I have plenty to do.
But my s/o retired at 58 and went nuts, and back to work a year later. Different strokes.
Your situation of having a job that beats on your body would make me think earlier is better.

I went out at 62 due to my physical handicap, I might have been able to hang on longer but it was getting too hard. Fortunately, I was smart with the money I could afford to set aside and while I can't afford a 911, I live well enough because I have something many people don't....that's the belief that what I do have is good enough.

I was 59 and 11 months . I miss nothing about the corporate grind . My one piece of advice is get VERY smart about health care insurance . It will be your largest monthly expense until Medicare age is met .

I have been retired now for coming up on 5 years and absolutely love it . I did pick up a part time job 4 years ago , I test drive Porsche's for a local well known engine rebuilder . Not what I would call stressful work 😁

My last day will be September 10, 2025. I will be 53 and will have been with UPS for 34 years. I plan on joining forces with a good friend and doing guided duck hunts. We both used to guide together 30 years ago. He just retired two weeks ago from UPS. It should be fun and add a little income to my pension.

I've known several people that put off retiring until they were older but fell ill and were not able to do the things they planned on doing or enjoy doing. I decided I wanted and planned to retire early many years ago so I retired at 50 back in April.

As others have posted, if your finances will allow it and there's something else you'd rather do than "the grind" then go for it. Otherwise, there are a whole lot of hours to fill in a day. In my case I have two kids still in high school and plenty of projects around the house to keep me busy for a while. My days consist of doing school carpool duty every other week, helping with homework, doing the grocery shopping, cooking dinners, working out every morning, playing games on the playstation and practicing my guitar. My wife is still working and will continue working for another five years.

The key to a long retirement is keeping busy. So I say if you can do it financially and can stay busy go for it.

I was talking to a guy earlier, who retired at 50, he and his wifes plan was literally to have fun and enjoy life. They already lived on the water, so they bought a boat and have literally been partying since then, that was 20 years ago.
Me, I will probably be working until I fall over dead.

A friend of a friend, a guy I slightly knew, he worked loyally at the same job for decades. Didn't get paid much because they knew he would never leave them. His whole life was his job :( (selling O-rings).

Then finally they retired him. He had only be retired for about six months and hadn't done any fun things, then one day just woke up dead.

I get these FIRE articles in my feed for some reason. Financially independent, retire early. People "retire" when they are 35 etc. I think it is a pandemic, stock and crypto rally thing. And if you look at their plan, it often involves being frugal to the point where you have to wonder how much fun life can be? And it is also unclear to me how sustainable it is into old age. Maybe it is people that are not quite right in the head and can't deal with structure or someone telling them what needs to get done at work.

I thought it'd be easier to quit for me, but the older I get, the more money I can make. With a large network and a good economy, I also have the ability to be picky and do what I like best. My only complaint is lack of time for large activities such as a through hike or overseas travel. It has helped tremendously to be able to WFH. I do hope to eventually go part time / consulting basis, but it is several years out for sure!

Just turned 54 and am at 28.8 years working for the man. Wifey retired(forced) after sustaining a head injury at work. Not sure for me though, many of my associates are punching out at age 50 in my line. Figure there is plenty of time to get another gig.


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