no choice in the matter...forced to take distributions on inherited IRAs/401's etc.

Can you put the forced withdrawals in a Roth IRA or some other investment vehicle that is self-directed and accrues interest tax free until withdrawal?

I don't think so, and one of Danny's is a Roth.

Was more in questioning mode when I posted this vs knowing answers. Ended up retiring 5 years prior to plan. Certainly making things tighter. Knew I was damaging my physical and mental health during that time. What I didn't realize was the damage I doing to my relationship with wife and son. Almost lost it all.

Don't love our financial position. That said, we have it better than a lot of Americans. Taking the blessings we have and are thankful for them.

I do believe you have the power to make it work.

6 months after retiring my golf game went from a 12 handicap to a 2. If I'd of known this I would have retired 20 years ago.

Currently driving around Florida house shopping in new master planned communities. It seems that many HOAs now cover all your yard landscaping and even restrict you from planting things like citrus in your yard.

We've been surfing foreclosed homes in the Homestead area.. a buddy of mine lives in Tavenner Key and said watch for the Foreclosures they are plentiful...

In my experience you can never retire too early. Semi retired in 1994 when I was 39, went into the family business part time and then totally retired in 2004.

I told this exact thing to guys at work when I was working. They would stay by the phone all weekend HOPING the Company would call them for overtime.

"on your deathbed, you'll be wishing for just one more good day to spend with a friend or a family member and you know what? that day you just wasted by the phone might have been THAT day.

8track, you say you started saving for retirement at 35. After having a lot of talks with others at work, I can comfortably say you are probably WAY AHEAD of most people in that regard. People in their 40's admitting they can't save any money for retirement? "WTH have you been spending money on?"

As some here say, you need something to do to occupy yourself. Personally, I've found that kind of hard to do in the post covid environment but our house repairs/improvements are finally coming to an end this week just in time to do some traveling.

Wife is collecting age 62 SS, I'm getting a small pension of $1300, and my 401k rollover has increased so we have tapped into that for a little to supplement our frugality

Live off your retirement budget one year before retiring to make sure it is sufficient and not a lurch the first month after you actually retire- from a CPA friend of mine.

Just need a few kitty-cats roaming da hood to take care of them... 😟

It's been more than 12 years since I pulled the plug, thinking at the time that I was leaving a couple of years early. In retrospect, it was the right time. I was fortunate to have spent my working life in public service/campus law enforcement and earned a defined benefit lifetime retirement. My wife retired from elementary school teaching and also enjoys a lifetime defined benefit pension and we use her lifetime health insurance benefit.

Two years ago, at 67, I began collecting Social Security. My income now is more than my take home when I worked, and our combined income also exceeds our working income. so even living in CA, life is affordable. In a few months, our mortgage will be paid off. Several CBidders bad mouth CA, and are happy to be someplace else, but I am happy here, and most importantly, my wife is happy here. Our families are here and we enjoy the weather, which is superior to most places we had considered moving to. To us, the beauties of this state outweigh some of it's drawbacks.

If there is a regret in retirement; we can do more traveling, which was our pre-retirement goal that was postponed due to a commitment to help care for grandkids. Unfortunately my wife, who retired the same day as I did, has suffered a back injury that limits her mobility, so our travel plans have to be re-evaluated...but we both are happily retired and do not miss working one bit.