ADVERTISEMENT

Is Retirement age Monetary or Age based?

You also are still liable for taxes on your retirement income. I must pay them quarterly. 401k's and IRA's are wonderful, but you are liable for taxes. I am now forced to take out money from my 401k's and IRA's and Uncle Sugar is there waiting with his hand out. Plus, if you have no mortgage or deductibles the tax rate can get as high as when you worked.

It is also important to understand your State taxes on property and State income also. I retired in Florida and moved to Kentucky. Basic same price on houses but my property tax in Florida was $4,200 per year and in Kentucky the next year it was $1,200. That was a savings of $3,000 a year. Kentucky forgives the first $20,000 of your retirement pension so I have paid little income tax in Kentucky for the last 20 years. States like Florida, Texas and Tennessee who have no state income taxes make up for it in real estate and sales taxes.

When I retired, I had projects that I decided to do long before I retired. After three years I had them finished and was ready to do something else. I ended up working for my little town and put in 40 to 50 hours a week for little pay for ten years. But it was fun. Retirement without project would be really boring even if you did not have projects and things to do.
I think I read somewhere that very recently they just changed the age you have to be to withdraw from your IRA? Or maybe you don't have to withdraw as much and be subject to a penalty? I don't know. I plan on living well after 70 (fingers crossed) so I'd prefer not to touch mine until I absolutely must.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bert Higginbotha
I think I read somewhere that very recently they just changed the age you have to be to withdraw from your IRA? Or maybe you don't have to withdraw as much and be subject to a penalty? I don't know. I plan on living well after 70 (fingers crossed) so I'd prefer not to touch mine until I absolutely must.
My wife and I are forced to withdraw now that both of us are over 70 & 1/2. I don't depend on that money but I have to pay taxes on it. There is nothing wrong with taxes, I would love to pay more just so I could keep the rest.

I laughed at Reagan when they first came out with the IRA's. Now I am finding out that he was smart. It is deferred taxes. Now instead of paying taxes on $2,000 it is on $100,000. The old Illinois boy was bright.

Plus it is a nest egg if I need it.

I am impressed with the guys on this board that have planned on retirement. That is what we are suppose to do as responsible folks.

I love America and the opportunity that she gave me.
 
My wife and I are forced to withdraw now that both of us are over 70 & 1/2. I don't depend on that money but I have to pay taxes on it. There is nothing wrong with taxes, I would love to pay more just so I could keep the rest.

I laughed at Reagan when they first came out with the IRA's. Now I am finding out that he was smart. It is deferred taxes. Now instead of paying taxes on $2,000 it is on $100,000. The old Illinois boy was bright.

Plus it is a nest egg if I need it.

I am impressed with the guys on this board that have planned on retirement. That is what we are suppose to do as responsible folks.

I love America and the opportunity that she gave me.
There is so much information out there now on how to plan for your future at an early age. You are just being willfully ignorant to your retirement if you haven't taken advantage of it.

I'm not saying that's a horrible thing. Everybody's situation is different. But something even investing as small as $100 a month when you're 18 years old will get you to $400,000+ when you hit retirement age. Compound interest is a beautiful thing. The best part about compound interest (other than great returns) is that you can start later in life and still see real great returns even after just a few years.

I know people who have done financial planning. I've heard stories about people coming in at the age of 55 years old and all they have is a 35 year old checking account that's now up to something like $80,000. They missed out on 30 years of gains but even though they missed out they still were able to double their money before retirement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bert Higginbotha
There is so much information out there now on how to plan for your future at an early age. You are just being willfully ignorant to your retirement if you haven't taken advantage of it.

I'm not saying that's a horrible thing. Everybody's situation is different. But something even investing as small as $100 a month when you're 18 years old will get you to $400,000+ when you hit retirement age. Compound interest is a beautiful thing. The best part about compound interest (other than great returns) is that you can start later in life and still see real great returns even after just a few years.

I know people who have done financial planning. I've heard stories about people coming in at the age of 55 years old and all they have is a 35 year old checking account that's now up to something like $80,000. They missed out on 30 years of gains but even though they missed out they still were able to double their money before retirement.
Yep.

I am stupid and do not do enough to maximize earnings. I have a good guy at Edwards Jones that rides my ass on a weekly basis to do better. He usually does not win.

I really like liquid capital.
 
  • Like
Reactions: schoonerwest
Yep.

I am stupid and do not do enough to maximize earnings. I have a good guy at Edwards Jones that rides my ass on a weekly basis to do better. He usually does not win.

I really like liquid capital.
I'll never be able to time the market. I don't try to really but my funds to buy into my SEP IRA were just made available today. I saw that the DOW was up 2% most of the day so I figured ok, that's still going to be more than 10% off record highs. I'll put my order in.

In less than 1 hour since then the DOW skyrocketed to 5%+ for the day.

Damn the luck. Lol
 
Um, once my mortgage is paid off I guess that means I would spend like 40k a year, if that. Lol.

40kx25= 1 million dollars.

Lol

You might only need $40k a year. But you have to remember that you're still paying taxes on that, you'll still have to pay property taxes and home maintenance even if your mortgage is paid off, you probably will need to pay healthcare out of your own pocket (could be $1k/month for a couple), etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bert Higginbotha
Defined Benefit Plan > Defined Contribution Plan

Absolutely. And a COLA is an awesome thing. I’ll be drawing nearly $80,000 next year doing what I want. Wife has a much smaller pension. We’ll both be eligible for Social Security next year as well. I won’t get much, she’ll do well. Never earned huge paychecks but was a world class saver. Lived rent-mortagage free for 7 years. No kids. Married after 40! Oh, and have a portfolio of investments and bonds, a couple houses, of around 2.2 million $$. Net.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: dukedevilz
I’ve taken a different approach from my parents. I live for the now. Travel, work, some extra luxuries. My dad died at 36 when I was three. My son and I are identical ages and I can’t imagine how it would be if this was the only time we had got together. I squeeze as much ‘living life’ out of most days as a human can.

Yep! I do the same thing. I loaded up and took off to the Smoky Mountains this weekend. Just got back today. I don’t wanna wait until I’m 60 or 65 to start doing things. I make all the memories I can with my son now.
 
its not so much about how much its more about being physically able to work that should dictate retirement. my dad continued to work into his 80's as a mechanic, even though he officially retired at 70. he passed away a couple years ago,

remember when he used to make $1.60 ph.

me I was forced our of work when I was 56 because of a stroke, collect around 1850 per month in SS Disabilty and Vetran's Dissbilty combined my wife gets about 800 per month, that gives us 2650 per month to live on, we live just fine on that.

have a new Motor home that is setup for me.

so its not about how much you have its ALL ABOUT living within your means.

you can't take it with you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bert Higginbotha
You might only need $40k a year. But you have to remember that you're still paying taxes on that, you'll still have to pay property taxes and home maintenance even if your mortgage is paid off, you probably will need to pay healthcare out of your own pocket (could be $1k/month for a couple), etc.
Home maintenance: I moved a lot as the promotions came, so I did not have maintenance. I am in my tenth house and for the first time I have maintenance. Replaced the roof, replaced all three air conditioners, a few new windows, paint the interior, new carpet et.al.

Healthcare: I have fantastic healthcare but it is expensive. My wife and I paid out $8,826.57 this year just in premiums. So budget $1,000 a month.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MileHighSpartan
its not so much about how much its more about being physically able to work that should dictate retirement. my dad continued to work into his 80's as a mechanic, even though he officially retired at 70. he passed away a couple years ago,

remember when he used to make $1.60 ph.

me I was forced our of work when I was 56 because of a stroke, collect around 1850 per month in SS Disabilty and Vetran's Dissbilty combined my wife gets about 800 per month, that gives us 2650 per month to live on, we live just fine on that.

have a new Motor home that is setup for me.

so its not about how much you have its ALL ABOUT living within your means.

you can't take it with you.
@dragonhawk1855 do you live in your rv? How do you pay for upkeep, gas, tags etc?
Should think of trading it in for a camper van.
 
@dragonhawk1855 do you live in your rv? How do you pay for upkeep, gas, tags etc?
Should think of trading it in for a camper van.
nope have a nice home, use the rv to travel in, learned to live within my earnings. most that I ever earned was $17.00 per hour and my did not works as we raised 4 kids. that was the last year I worked = $35,+ per year. before that my last job paid me $8.95 per hour for a yearly salary of $18,616 yearly raising 4 kids, never had any trouble making ends meet, food, utilities, taxes, insurance [house, auto] all the usual household expenses, its called living WITHIN OUR MEANS.

no 250,000+ houses, no buying 75+ thousand dollar auto's, no 50+ thousand dollar boat. it buying the auto that fit our budget, owning a nice 4 bedroom 2 story home in a small community.
 
  • Like
Reactions: huskitt
I am partial owner to 2 small businesses outside of my day job and have my own investment portfolio all income from them go into. As well as an asset outside of that. I'm trying to retire before 40. So money.

i am 58
i retired at 45 and got bored
tried it again at 53 and got bored
i am going to try it again in a couple of years
if i get bored this time i will just never quit again
 
You might only need $40k a year. But you have to remember that you're still paying taxes on that, you'll still have to pay property taxes and home maintenance even if your mortgage is paid off, you probably will need to pay healthcare out of your own pocket (could be $1k/month for a couple), etc.
Well, my budget is $3650 a month. Take out the $1200 a month going to my mortgage and the $450 a month going to my car and I am at $2200 a month. So 2200x12 after taxes.

I'd say that's probably like 30k a year tbqh. 40k let's me live large. Lol. It would barely be taxed in that range. But, yeah, this is leaving out the inevitable health care. = /.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MileHighSpartan
I assume I will be homeless at some point. Or houseless; I could easily live(home) in a F150 King Ranch.

The other option is to live on the cheap in a sh*thole country, maybe the Philippines or Mexico. Colombia is pretty nice.
 
All about the money. Why work, if you don't have to? I have plenty to keep my attention. I'd quit today, if I could. However, retirement seems to be one of the big perks for teachers in my district. I know we always talk about it going away, but that's been going on since I started 20 years ago, and as of now it looks fine. I'm guessing that weed money in Illinois should keep my retirement there for me. Fourteen years to go (I'm 43) and then we collect 70% of the average of our top 4 consecutive salaries during our last ten years. Making $85K this year and will get to about $100K in a few years. So, $70,000 a year once I turn 57 doesn't seem too bad. Wife doesn't have much for retirement, but she manages a boutique and will probably do that until she falls over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MileHighSpartan
ADVERTISEMENT