Going back to work after retirement.

[elkguide]

Ran into a good, older friend of mine that I had worked with a couple of weeks ago. Great guy. Knew that he had retired so I asked him how he was enjoying his retirement. He said, "I tried it. Didn't like it." He had worked construction and had driven heavy equipment most of his life. "Since I know a lot of people, they call me to help them out with a project or two so I work 5 or 6 hours a day. Never eight and usually three or four days a week. I have a fellow up on the mountain that has an excavator and a bulldozer that he can't even start and he has me come up to his place for five or six weeks every summer to move things around and dig a bunch of holes and I do that four or five six or seven hour days a week."

I think that it comes down to a sense of purpose and doing something that you enjoy. Being self employed, I have the most miserable boss in the world but the last few years, I've convinced him to let me take the month of October off to hunt Idaho, the month of November off to hunt Vermont and New York and he knows that as soon as I fill my muzzleloader tags in December, I'll be back at work. Seems to be working out very well for me and that is how I will probably keep things going for the next 25 or 30 years.

 

[MAndrews]

I turn 62 this month and have applied for my SS. In my case this isn't entirely voluntary. I've been in aerospace manufacturing for over 40 years. The first 10 were with a major that decided to close the division I was working at. The next 30 were in small companies that ended up being sold, one to another major and one to an investment group. The first buy out wasn't too bad, they changed my title since I didn't have a degree and was doing what is normally a degreed job. No issue with that but they were in a different end of the business than we were and were sold as a group of businesses that they only needed one division of for their intellectual property, the rest of us were just along for the ride. I could see what was going to happen there after close to 15 years so made a move to a small, family owned business that was well established and that I knew and they knew me. I put them into a portion of the business that they weren't in previously and improved their overall sales (and profit) by 30-50% and brought in multiple OEM customers where their customer base was previously 100% USG. I was a happy camper, answered to ownership only, and pretty much ran my end of the business with minimal input as no one in ownership had the technical knowledge I did in that end of the business. That all ended when they had family drama over finances with one of the owners falsely accusing one of the others of stealing from the company. This proved false after multiple criminal investigations including the IRS but it tore the family totally apart and they ended up selling the company to a group of investors that knew nothing about aerospace or manufacturing. They brought in a string of "company men" to run the company and I survived until the 2nd one. I was fired after 18 years and forced to sign a non-compete that included language that I could not do much of anything in my field without losing a small portion of ownership I had been given by the new ownership as an incentive.......go figure. Following that I managed to find another job that I worked at for a year before Covid hit and since they were commercial repair they took a huge hit including letting me go.

I've been off work for over a year at this point and couldn't tell you how many applications and resumes I've submitted. I'm very qualified by proven experience in manufacturing engineering and program management but with no degree and my age I'm an untouchable I suppose. The new employment practices really suck for some one in my position as your resume runs through a computer first and then gets forwarded to a person if you have all the boxes checked which, I don't due to not having a degree. You can't talk to anyone anymore and sell yourself. I have been in contact with my last job (they reached out to me) and supposedly I'll get a return date within the next 30-60 days. If so, I plan to put my SS on hold and work another 5 years (Lord willing) and hang it up for good.

Due to the time I've been unemployed I've had to burn through savings and inheritance that I had planned to pay our house off before retiring. The only upside of that has been we've managed to keep our home and to a lesser degree lifestyle intact.

What I can tell you is that even without the financial issues retirement may not be what you think it is. I have entirely too much time to sit and contemplate the first 60 years of my life and the list of regrets is long. I chased the money and prestigious job too much and didn't stop and smell the roses along the way. Be wiser than I have been and make the most of every opportunity handed to you.

This is NOT intended to be a pity party but something of a cautionary tale for solid planning because time goes faster than you realize.

 

[wind gypsy]

I wish my dad would go back to work. Retired on his union pension about 7 years ago at 54 and has declined in happiness, and physical/mental health ever since.

 

[Wib]

Man, this thread has one repeating point that can't be missed.

Everyone is different and know who you are. Some people flourish in retirement and some wilt.

You must be able to find purpose and you must stay active at the level you need to in order to find that purpose. It of course starts with being financially free of worry. Even if you are, the point at hand remains.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Well said. ^^^

 

[Blockcaver]

I retired the first time in early '09 with full retirement benefits and pension at age 56. Two weeks later I was consulting for the company again on an overseas project but based out of my home in CO. Life was good.

Six months later a great job opportunity cropped up in BC. We moved up....what was not to like....stone sheep, caribou, moose and grizzly hunting etc. The real good thing was "double dipping" as I not only had a great paying job but I also had retirement income coming in. The thing not to like was I "needed" more time off to bow hunt everything left on the bucket list before I got too old to climb the mountains so after 5 years of working I retired again in 2014, two days before sheep season. Since I do most of my hunting DIY, retirement allows the time for Stone sheep, moose and caribou hunts DIY. I've also been able to drive to many hunts that are two or three days away from home and really see western Canada and the US, Alaska, etc.

Retirement has all worked out about as well as one could hope for...with all but one of my major bowhunting goals accomplished, a new house built that we were the general contractor on, the landscaping all completed by us, the young bird dog is trained, etc. Winter visits to the hunting shows in NV, extended AZ Coues deer bow hunts every winter but the last, etc. I still consult when the opportunity arise, but only if it doesn't interfere with hunting.

 

[txhunter581]

I am lucky enough to have a profession that I still love (vet medicine) and that has allowed me to be my own boss (that has its ups and downs too!). But after 40 years of work I am ready for a change. Sold my practice Jan 1 but will work full time for at least a year.

My ace in the hole: I can work as much as I want doing relief work after I retire. Remains to be seen, but seems like that should work out well.

I kinda think the OP may be a victim of retiring too early. At 63 I think I will have enough to keep me busy the rest of my life.

 

[FLAK]

20 years Federal Employment. Getting old and really all I want to do is hunt and fish.
Been dabbling in taxidermy for a while. Thinking of doing that when I
do retire, just to support my hunting and fishing.

 

[Naiche]

I am 4 years out from a pension. Am trying to figure out what I want to do. Hopefully it will be something creative/artistic. I am sick of looking at a screen 9 hrs a day.

 

[Murphy]

7 years out from a pension if all holds up. I'll be headed north to spend the entire summer fishing from my cabin the next day. 30 and out is my goal and I will be 53 when it happens. I don't know much but I know for sure I've spent enough time working.

 

[AZ8]

20 years Federal Employment. Getting old and really all I want to do is hunt and fish.
Been dabbling in taxidermy for a while. Thinking of doing that when I
do retire, just to support my hunting and fishing.

I’m almost like you. 19 years Federal Employment. My MRA is 56 years 7 months. So in theory I could retire in 4 more years. Unfortunately, my pension would be reduced for every year under 60. So unless my investments hit it big, I’m looking at 8 more years. All I think about anymore is hunting, camping and fishing. My mind wanders all day at work.....

 

[FLAK]

I’m almost like you. 19 years Federal Employment. My MRA is 56 years 7 months. So in theory I could retire in 4 more years. Unfortunately, my pension would be reduced for every year under 60. So unless my investments hit it big, I’m looking at 8 more years. All I think about anymore is hunting, camping and fishing. My mind wanders all day at work.....

Yep. Realistically looking at 8-10 more myself. Just dont know if
I can hang that long. My patience with all the B.S. is running thin.