Retirement date... set in sand

[Queen]

Had fun last night as my wife and I sat down and worked out her retirement date.  We still have to meet with the folks from the state retirement center to get solid info, but it's looking like the end of this year!!  

We're taking a two week driving trip this summer to see how we feel about being out on the road, and if we enjoy it, we'll go ahead and get a camper.  If we still have the condo in FL we'll use it as a home base and travel, if it's sold we'll put stuff in storage and full time for a bit.  Kind of nice to have a framework and soft plans to work with.

 

[MikeRuth]

congratulations, I'm looking forward my self for at least two weeks out. Lot of beautiful country here to see.

Good Luck.

MIke R

 

[Queen]

congratulations, I'm looking forward my self for at least two weeks out. Lot of beautiful country here to see.

Good Luck.

MIke R

There truly is, Mike.  

We're going earlier than financial sense would dictate (I'll be 57 and she'll be 58); but recently we've realized that we are not ever going to feel better physically than we do right now, we both have some ortho issues so it really feels like soon or never.

 

[Gunny]

Congratulations Queen. May I also add thank you for the kind words during my little trip. I hope you and your wife have a great time. Rob

 

[Queen]

Congratulations Queen. May I also add thank you for the kind words during my little trip. I hope you and your wife have a great time. Rob

Thanks, Rob.  Hope we meet up down the road somewhere... and I gotta say, your situation, reading about it out loud to my wife, gave her a lot more confidence that this is doable.  Knowing we might be able to get some help when trouble pops up.  Thanks for sharing your trip.

 

[SoulRaven]

At 62, we have realized that it is time to go. Full retirement is 66 for us and while it doesn't seem that long yet, maybe not 40 years ago, but 4 years is long time now.

Glad you are able to be inching forward. Many are making the choice to do "more" with "less" money than wait. "Good things come to those that wait." doesn't necessarily apply to having one's life on hold.

Exciting! Can't wait to see how your plan progresses!

 

[bullfrog]

We started at 55 and 49 and still haven't seen enough at 65 and 59, ortho issues have slowed us down also, just now getting a passport with the northwest US yet to see! You best get traveling!

 

[ArtW]

Nice to hear you may be getting out there soon, I hope the two of you enjoy!

 

[Queen]

We started at 55 and 49 and still haven't seen enough at 65 and 59, ortho issues have slowed us down also, just now getting a passport with the northwest US yet to see!  You best get traveling!

Kind of hoping a TT won't be too much for us, but I think if we are slow and methodical, we can do just about anything.

 

[slynne]

Exciting! I am hoping to retire by 58. Seems like a good age for it. I hope you have lots of adventures!

 

[bullfrog]

We have started thinking about a Toy Hauler as an open layout with a ramp and storage for motorized wheel chair or ATV.

 

[Queen]

We have started thinking about a Toy Hauler as an open layout with a ramp and storage for motorized wheel chair or ATV.

That could work pretty well.  Although with us, I'm the messed up one and I'm the primary driver/fixer/set up and take down person, so I'm not sure if it would help us down the road... unless my beloved all of a sudden became incredibly better at the the things she sucks at now. 

 

[jimindenver]

Queen

Eleven months will go by in a flash so start getting ready now. I know you will be just fine because I can tell you that nothing feels better than having the best time of your life doing what you enjoy.

 

[Queen]

Queen

Eleven months will go by in a flash so start getting ready now. I know you will be just fine because I can tell you that nothing feels better than having the best time of your life doing what you enjoy.

A big part of our conversation over the weekend was the realization that we're not living right now, we're waiting. Waiting for her to be done, the condo to sell, life to start up again.  When we moved to FL in 2015 that was the new life, the grand adventure, the last big move and then we'd retire there and have fun... we never expected that to fail, so coming home six months ago left us in this weird void where we sit and we wait.  

Feels wonderful to be experiencing some forward movement!

 

[TooManyDogs]

That's so exciting! good luck getting out on the road!

 

[BobBski]

Glad to hear it, congratulations Wishing you the best and looking forward to hearing about your adventure. Hope our paths cross one day soon.

 

[Queen]

UPDATE:

Met with the state retirement folks and it wasn't pretty, healthcare is going to cost us the earth, so we'll have to see what happens with the ACA in the next few months.

The condo did not (and will not) sell, the neighbors with the nuisance lawsuit have seen to that, no bank will finance with open litigation.

So... we've decided the hell with it, we're going to plan on her retiring anyway next winter.  I'm tired of being held hostage by societies rules, health insurance, my credit score.  We've been good little drones our whole lives only to be looking at a retirement that could include bankruptcy because of healthcare.  We'll go back to the condo, use it as a home base, and look at a van to get us out on the road from there.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

Health insurance has held me hostage for years. Massachusetts actually did one thing right with their offering health insurance to it's residents. However, it also controls you because you gotta keep yourself under a certain income which limits everything else you can do. I was pretty disabled for many of those years but now that I can somewhat get around again (although I should probably really be insured there, as i'm not 100% out of the woods, but making good progress) I decided to just cut the cord and move to my house in Maine. House in Maine needs a full remodel to sell it, need to sell it to get on the road. So figure nothing ventured, nothing gained. Take a big risk and hope all the cards fall in the right place. Feels great being out of Mass, will feel even greater out on the road.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the new Health Bill they're proposing helps you and me alike! Sounds like in the meantime you are like me and going to make your own rules.

 

[Queen]

ERLH - I just found out yesterday that we would (with our very low income) qualify for an ACA silver plan in FL for $245 a month for both of us, that would be perfect... but who knows what's coming down the pike now. So weird, for a few generations we knew what to expect and could dial it in, now everything is in flux so we have to simply gird our loins and take a leap.

 

[mayble]

We have started thinking about a Toy Hauler as an open layout with a ramp and storage for motorized wheel chair or ATV.

Dune Sport even makes "handicap accessible" toy haulers and trailers, complete with roll-in showers
https://dunesport.com/toy-hauler/wheelchair-accessible