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Streetrod
Newbie
Posts: 1
Registered: 9-23-2016
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Retirement
Hi, my name is and Gord and I am a newbie to this forum. I started reading this forum about 2001 and got a lot of good advice that I used on my trips
to Baja. This retirement topic came at the right time for me. I took my CPP at 60 and in a month I get OAP. I had an accident at work in July and off
work for 3 weeks. This changed my mind about working longer at this job. Work slowed down, so I asked for layoff and qualified for EI.NowI can look
for a1 or 2 day a week job to make Mexico money This is the plan anyways!
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MitchMan
Super Nomad
Posts: 1855
Registered: 3-9-2009
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Some of my friends were grade school teachers for just over 30 years in South Orange County (Mission Viejo) and now recently retired. They all got
their masters degrees about 10 years into their teaching career. They get over $85,000 USD per year each in retirement. Not bad for two married
teachers pulling in over $170,000 per year per household with their 3500 sq ft fully paid for home.
I do not begrudge their benefit one bit. They started teaching at $13,000 per year when I was making $35,000 per year, both of us with the same
number of years of education. They did their job well, dependably and consistently for 30 years imbedding knowledge and upstanding moral principles
in the youths of America. It could be argued that they contributed the most to the best in our American society than most of us outside our own
homes.
While they will enjoy much more financial advantage than most of us by leaps and bounds in our retirements, that doesn't mean that the rest of us
couldn't enjoy a safe and fulfilling retirement with much, much less; even 70% less if you choose to be wise enough to live frugally and smart.
I don't waste time lamenting their retirement benefits compared to mine or to the vast majority of others. Unlike the wealthy few in business who got
theirs by gaming the rest of us. The Teachers and firemen didn't game us, many entrepreneurs did and do game us, every day, all the time, still.
You know, there are many things that are fun and fulfilling to do that will bring income in your retirement if more income is what you want while
retired. Never too late to learn something new that is interesting, different, productive, and generates some income. Make it fun, be frugal, open
your mind to new places to live and different life styles. A lot of those things can be really low costing.
I have been teaching part time to seniors for 19 years (will retire from that at the end of this year). We discuss retirement all the time. The
differences among them with regard to life style and finances vary by multiples. The ones that really have it together know the value of a dollar and
are open minded and flexible in their ability to live in different cultures and in different countries.
The amount of money it takes to live in two to three different countries at different times of every year is about the same amount of money it takes
to live in one 1600 sq ft home in Orange County, California all year and can easily be 1/3 the cost if you choose to live in some other very
acceptable place other than Orange County, California altogether.
So, more often than not, it is how you spend your money and not how much money you have. I know many people that are retired and have a lot of money,
but they are not nearly as fulfilled as they should be because their minds are not open, they are not culturally flexible, they feel trapped in a
boring repetitious life style, they will not teach themselves new things, they have no sense of adventure, and they are unwilling to reinvent
themselves...nothing to do with how much your pension is.
[Edited on 9-24-2016 by MitchMan]
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Lobsterman
Super Nomad
Posts: 1682
Registered: 10-7-2008
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Quote: Originally posted by Whale-ista  | Good discussion- it's been on my mind recently.
As for "double dipping"- that's describing my situation: I worked enough and paid enough into SS to earn a modest check, but I've also worked as a
teacher- and so my SS will be reduced as a result of earning a pension. Not sure how those calculations are made by the SSA.
..........................................................................................
Whale-ista
What you are talking about is SSA's Windfall Elimination Program, commonly known as "WEP". Basically there is a 60% deduction from your SS check if
you only have 40 quarters of SS earnings out of 120 quarters. It goes up from there. Each additional quarter you work you replace a $0 quarter in the
30 years of your SSA record. In my case I received $326 once I retired after not paying into SS since 1977. I worked over 40 quarters by then before
going into federal service for 37 years. I've worked part time since retirement in 2011, about 3-4 months per year, and my SS has gone up slowly to
$385 today. Hey it pays for bait and expenses to run my boat.
I tried a full retirement for a year but missed the travel to cool locations (golf, fishing & sightseeing), the comradeship of fellow workers, the
physical exercise, and the mental simulation of complicated projects. With my wife's recent retirement she can now travel with me. I plan on working
like this until my body no longer cooperates. The extra bucks are used for road and fishing trips to places we have not been before. Currently, we are
on a road trip from San Diego to Alabama to play the Robert Trent Jones Trail golf courses while traveling the back roads to see America and meet its
friendly inhabitants.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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The idea that the mind is active while employed and becomes stagnant with retirement was not my experience. The opposite is true. My interests now are
more varied and there are lots of projects. And I'm rarely bored. It seems as though before retirement most of your energy goes into practical matters
and now pursuing satisfaction plays a bigger role.
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1106
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
Member Is Offline
Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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Our retirement SS will be bonus income - our 401K and other investments will be our primary source of income. SS was designed to keep the aged out
of poverty. But if you want to retire above that you better have save and invested!
[Edited on 9-25-2016 by BajaMama]
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DBoisclair
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: 9-25-2016
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My $.02 for consideration. I'm a Canadian so my frame of reference may not be the same as yours but the concepts are the same.
In my mind there are two considerations.......
1. Your health and/or your family heath history. Not to be harsh but if you're a young, active 57 year old, who's parents lived to be 90+, odds are
you'll have a long active retirement and the worst thing would be outliving your income. The only thing worse than being old is being old and poor. On
the other hand, if you're overweight, a smoker or have poor health in your family, better to enjoy retirement now, rather than waiting and then have
something happen. It's like Survivor; you don't want to be voted out with an immunity idol still in your pocket.
2. The other consideration is what do you make now and what would you collect in retirement benefits. After that it's simple math. You're effectively
working full time for the difference. If you're earning $75,000 and your pensions would be $45,000 - ask yourself if you'd do this job for $30,000. If
the answer is no, retire. And don't forget, it's not a one-way street. Nothing says you can't semi-retire, take your pensions and then go back
part-time somewhere to make up the difference.
Cheers
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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I have the "2nd career" fantasy too. Retire at 58 and get out of the factory.
I think I might like working as flight instructor. I've flown out of Brown Field in San Diego and it's access to Baja is the best. It's an airport of
entry and lots of bizjet traffic in from Cabo etc.
So a good place for a pilot to make contacts and maybe a job flying right seat of a Lear Jet that makes baja runs.
So retire and go play "airport bum" and try to make something happen. It could happen!
[Edited on 9-25-2016 by fishbuck]
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5805
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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| Quote: Originally posted by DBoisclair | My $.02 for consideration. I'm a Canadian so my frame of reference may not be the same as yours but the concepts are the same.
Cheers
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Yeah...but that is only $.015 USD! 
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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A little math indicates I would need to work to survive after retiring at 58 so I need to tough it out as long as possible at my job. 30Gs net/year
(my pension) ain't gonna cut it to try and live the dual SoCal/Baja life that I'm looking for.
Maybe at 62 when I get SS but even then probably about 45Gs net/year. Still a bit slim.
So thinking cap back on.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Mitchman is on to something. For almost 40 years I wrote nothing but short business letters. Not long after I retired I studied creative writing and
with trial and error (mostly error) I found a perfect hobby for this kind of hand to mouth retirement I had carved out close to San Lucas.
It is important to take care of your health but your mental health is even more important and more challenging --- ask those artsy folks all over
Todos Santos how they like living there and their answer will be all about their avocations, how they occupy their minds as well as their spirits.
There are uncountable ways one can spend time with hobbies that cost almost nothing. I'll be 80 years old next month and although my body is frail,
my mind is active and at peace -- my days and nights are full of the wonders of mind-travel, schemes and plans and story lines that are free and fun
and fulfilling. I came down here when I turned 58 and I've never been back to the states.
So it's important about the when but it's damned important about the "What's next".
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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Yeah you guys are right on about that part.
I think I am doubting how long I can keep my soul alive in that spirt crushing factory enviornment.
Dreaming about Baja and the idea that it's getting closer may be all I have left.
So thank you all for indulging me about this.
Looks like I better make a airline res down to Sandy Eggo and rent me a little car for about a 4 day mini retirement and see if I can restore my
lifeforce a little down in mother baja...
Maybe I can make it a little longer....
[Edited on 9-25-2016 by fishbuck]
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Give me a call when you are down here if around for a bit.
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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Thanks. Will do. Can we meet at In n Out?
I'm dying for a double double!
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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Hey, Mike. be the fireman you always wanted to be and get a big fat disability check. One or two tip-overs on your barstool should get you there.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64479
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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There is one a mile from me, and I have never been to it! On the road we do get double-doubles, however, yum!
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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I know it is not completely related although Tijuana resident Adrian Gonzalez does play for the Dodgers. I was a 4 year old kid when I first heard the
voice of Vin Scully back in Brooklyn. I apologize if I failed to find a thread on this, but we are looking at history being made in the next few days.
As I mentioned, if there is a thread about this iconic broadcaster, please point me to it.
[Edited on 9-25-2016 by Bajahowodd]
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fishbuck
Banned
Posts: 5318
Registered: 8-31-2006
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| Quote: Originally posted by DENNIS |
Hey, Mike. be the fireman you always wanted to be and get a big fat disability check. One or two tip-overs on your barstool should get you there.
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I been trying but their on to me DENNIS. But you never know what sort of dangerous things can hanpen. A few years back a guy got run over by a 787.
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9006
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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I'm always amazed when people decry government workers making a decent wage and having a decent pension, compared to persons in private industry.
It wasn't very long ago when just the opposite was true. What's changed?
What changed is that government jobs are service oriented jobs that cant be shipped overseas. Private industry jobs involve manufacturing and selling
goods and they shipped those overseas. Then the remaining jobs, they stripped of decent benefit programs. Now, corporations sit on these huge piles of
cash, paying out exorbitant wages to execs and buying back company stock, instead of investing in America. Wages, overall, continue to drop.
Government workers retirements only look excessive in the light of how poorly private industry retirements look.
And people wonder why the economy can't get going like it was in the 50s-60s-70s.
American corporate greed happened. Don't blame government workers because no one has figured out a way to ship teachers and first responders jobs
overseas.
Now, there is this belief that because corporations screwed their employees out of retirements, why shouldn't government screw their employees out of
pensions, too. Why shouldn't everyone be screwed together?
And people wonder why the economy can't get going like it was in the 50s-60s-70s.
Apparently, JoeJustJoe is also not aware that there are INDEPENDENT financial planners that sell no products.
I am continually bemused by how ignorant JJJ is about so many of the things he rails about.
[Edited on 9-26-2016 by Hook]
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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Pensions aside, retirement for single folks is another story....as there are two potential sources of income....
I heard a Nomad say he was "looking for a nurse with a purse"....which could be another retirement plan.
It may or may not be worth the price of admission.....
Don't believe everything you think....
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5805
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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A nurse with a purse!
Coincidentally, I heard from a long time former girlfriend this week. She is an RN, and does a lot of travel assignments, and wants to visit for a
week or two on the way to her next assignment. Maybe this is an omen!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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