I have retired, too.

Ken, you have been such a great contributor to this community, many of us can't be grateful enough for your posts. You are doing of course the right decision. I hope you can look after your wife and give her a lot of comfort, and I also hope you look after your health as well.

I understand exactly where you are coming from Ken. Five years ago, I made the same decision you have.

Please keep one thing in mind, even if you can perform all of the functions of the in-home nurse, don't try to do this by yourself. The physical and emotional toll is tremendous over time. If family and friends offer help, take it.

Take care of yourself just as much as you do your wife, speaking from experience there is no more helpless feeling than being forced to bring outside help in because you've injured yourself getting your wife on or off the toilet. Love and devotion are no subsitute for a 30 year old body.

You have my sympathy and best wishes for you and your wife
Mike

Ken,

Best wishes to you and your wife. I am going thru a similar situation with my wife but fortunately ours has taken a slight turn to the good side.

Ditto what all the others have already said.

I'm coming up right behind you.....

I too decided I would try retirement.
I'm 65 and my private pension matured a good few years ago.
I lasted 2 months until a tasty job came along.
Because I was retired, the company got other people to build the panel and wire the field devices.
Just design and cad, program and commission. I loved it.
I suppose I'm semi retired now, picking the jobs I like.

Good luck Ken,
I am right behind you, some time this year.
It feels like Phil will have to create a separate section for all these retirement announcements soon.

Best wishes, Ken. Hope to hear some good news from you soon! Enjoy what you can and get help where you need it. You deserve some free time, too.

Gene

Congrats Ken. I can draw SSI starting in April but I'll stick with it part time as long as I'm enjoying it. Prayers for your wife.

jstolaruk said:

Congrats Ken. I can draw SSI starting in April but I'll stick with it part time as long as I'm enjoying it. Prayers for your wife.

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I worked two extra years. I am supposed to get an extra 8% for each extra year. I haven't seen it. On top of that they subtract about $570 a month for medicare.


i didn't get paid SSI my first month which was July. I was told they would make it up at the beginning of the year. I will let you guys know how that goes. Do I get interest on the delay of payment for the first month?


The whole scheme is a fraud.
There are no spread sheets that allow you to put in your SSI contributions over the years that will calculate you benefits.

I also worked for an extra two years (fortunately I was just in time to retire at 65 and miss the change in the retirement age), I reduced my hours to 25 a week, took my state pension & pleasantly surprised that due to paying national insurance received a slightly larger pension than normal, did not have to continue paying NI, so that was a bonus, however, the State pension in the UK is one of the lowest in the western world especially compared to say Germany.
The tax man did not take into account the pension they were paying me so with my earnings over that two years, I owed them quite a large sum of tax by the time they sorted it. Well, you think you are doing well & someone kicks you in the B&££$.
Now fully retired & fortunately had the sense to contribute to a private pension so at the moment can live a reasonable standard of life.

Peter Nachtwey said:

.......Do I get interest on the delay of payment for the first month?
.....There are no spread sheets that allow you to put in your SSI contributions over the years that will calculate you benefits.

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Yes, there is a small up-tick every month that SSI withdrawls is delayed. I only know of the calculator that is at the SS website.

My brother-in-law, the tax accountant / investment advisor, is telling me to live off my 401K/IRA savings first, deferring SSI withdrawals as long as possible. And my father is telling me the exact opposite!

Up till recently, I shared an office with an accountant that was just a few months away from full retirement and probably had his first two nickels he earned. I would have sworn he was the healthiest person in a 1/2 mile radius but had a heart attack while watching TV and could not be revived by his wife, son or EMS. Talk about an eye opener.

Starting recently during COVID, I'm looking forward to it more and more. And that same time I so love the fun and interesting work that 40 years of experience attracts.

So sorry to hear that Ken. Had a friend go through that as well. Take care of yourself too.