# What is the ideal age to retire?



## VC2000 (Feb 10, 2006)

Another birthday has me thinking about retirement. What is the ideal age for a man to retire? Certainly factors such as financial resources greatly impact this but in an ideal world what age do you think it would be? 

I am facing the burnout of career in financial sector - the $ has been great but I'm not sure I have had the time to stop and smell the roses.


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## smujd (Mar 18, 2008)

Depends on what you mean by "retire." People who retire TO something generally enjoy life. People who retire FROM something often die quickly.

If you're burning out, why not change organizations, careers, etc.?


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## Cruiser (Jul 21, 2006)

I retired from full time employment at age 56 and shortly thereafter accepted a part-time appointment with local government. The 12-15 hours a week I put in at this job is almost like not working at all. I'm 61 now and thinking about hanging the part-time job up in a year or two. I really want to have the freedom to do some things that I want to do while I can still enjoy doing them.

When I think back to the time just prior to retiring I remember co-workers asking me what I would do and wouldn't I get bored sitting at home. My answer was that even if I am just sitting on my couch drinking coffee and watching CNN, at least I won't be sitting in a cubicle trying to meet deadlines and quotas, and feeling stressed out in the process. I still feel that way. 

Cruiser


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## Pentheos (Jun 30, 2008)

I plan on dying in the harness, not hard for an academic to do what with the lack of a forced retirement age and all.


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## ajo (Oct 22, 2007)

I have never considered retirement an option. I am only 52 but I think that I would like to get back to working in the cultural sector or academia. Then if forced out in my mid sixties focus on using the skills I have to supplement an income. 

I don't hold with the idea of giving up work per se, of course after 65 I would not want to be busting a gut for somebody else to profit from my skill set.

And I don't think that gardening or golf do it for me.


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## MarkfromMD (Nov 5, 2008)

The ideal age would be one year after you teach me your ways. :biggrin: 

I'm just starting out but the only way I think I could ever fully retire would be if I had enough money to travel constantly to stay busy. Retiring to me would be more like attempting to go into academia or working part-time with small businesses/start-ups. I would "retire" the day I felt comfortable that I couldn't outspend my savings.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

591/2 is when most of us can begin to withdraw from our 401s without penalty.

I'm certain I will work at least part time for as long as I'm able.


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## tlocke (Jan 9, 2010)

As a physician I have the privilege of hearing from patients about how they feel about retirement (most of my patients are professionals of one sort or another - doctors, attornies, business executives). Most professionals are happiest if they can find a way to keep working even into their seventies by dialing back the time commitments and stress, but still going to the office every day. Some do serious board work or teaching as an alternative to "work".


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Retire as early as possible. My situation is similar to that described by Cruiser. Although, I retired a bit younger than he and subsequently performed a number of short term jobs that I had always wanted to try my hand at. It is very nice to be able to do what I choose to do, when I chose to do it and to change direction as frequently and erratically, as I may be so inclined! Life is good!


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

65 years old


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## phyrpowr (Aug 30, 2009)

I wouldn't consider age per se, but rather: 1. State of health, and estimate of how many "good years" you think you have; 2. Finances, can you afford to live like you want to, within reason; 3. Your "inner resources", i.e., are you happy just sitting for periods of time, enjoy reading/puttering, alone with your own thoughts, or do you "Have to *be doing something*!"?

You can always retire from your current job, and go punch someone else's time clock. The question is, can you stand to be truly on your own? I'm okay goofing off and reading each day, some mild travelling and socializing, but then I've always been kind of a bum. I know people who have to have some sort of "mission" every day or they're lost.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

As there is no such thing as an ideal world and never will be, and as I will continue to need money into retirement with two kids I'm going to keep working as long as I can.


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

35 years of age......just kidding. Ideally, I think the perfect age to retire is in your 70's.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> As there is no such thing as an ideal world and never will be, and as I will continue to need money into retirement with two kids I'm going to keep working as long as I can.


Right Earl,you want to make as much money as you possibly can,that way you have enough to pay off bills,buy things you need and to go on trips.


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## Apatheticviews (Mar 21, 2010)

16. Right when you get your drivers license.
21. Right when you are eligible to drink (depending on region)


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## CRMW (Nov 7, 2009)

50 Will do it for me.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

Howard said:


> Right Earl,you want to make as much money as you possibly can,that way you have enough to pay off bills,buy things you need and to go on trips.


Exactly, and to help my sons when and as needed.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Never. Ideally, I'll have acting gigs until the day I die.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

I don't think I'll retire,I want to make a lot of money but I am still young (36) and willing to do job tasks that are on my level.


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## Peak and Pine (Sep 12, 2007)

Jovan said:


> Never. Ideally, I'll have acting gigs until the day I die.


I too hope I will have acting gigs, sorta like the one I do here, until the day you die. When is that by the way?


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## Geoff Gander (Apr 4, 2007)

The original game plan (thanks to a good public service pension scheme) was to pull the plug at the age of 54 after 30 years' service. Then, in my declining years, I would write.

Recent events in my life have made me revise that quite a bit. I've discovered there are things I would rather do than work for the Man, like writing right now. So now I'm writing a novel and I've got several short story manuscripts doing the rounds, while keeping up the day job. If I get my break (and I'm trying my hardest to get it), then I will quit my job with no regrets - even if the money I make is equal to or a bit less than what I'm making now.

So the short answer is that I would like to graduate to my second career as soon as possible! Life is simply too short to spend working in a job, if your heart isn't in it.


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## Asterix (Jun 7, 2005)

I think it is whatever age the individual decides is best for them. Initially my fantasy retirement age was 40 but now that I've clocked that age, I have shifted it to 50 and btw, my concept of retirement is to take up a job as a college Prof. where I can work 9 months a year.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Peak and Pine said:


> I too hope I will have acting gigs, sorta like the one I do here, until the day you die. When is that by the way?


 If medicine goes the way it is now, roughly 120 years from now. Hope you can catch up, old man.


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

35 !!:icon_smile:


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## 127.72 MHz (Feb 16, 2007)

It's a well known accepted fact, 27.


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