Are you going to retire at 66

I, personally, am aiming to retire a good 10 years before that.

it will prob be very difficult difficult get a part time job in your mid sixties as they will be many others competing with you. People living longer and state pension too small for any meaningful existence. Self employment is probably the best way to go.

We're the same age and have the same thinking on this topic it seems!

I'm 16 years with a huge multinational and i'm going to retire at 58 ( best case scenario) 60 at worst.

I lost a brother in 2023 aged only 55, I intend to make it to early retirement and enjoy it.

Its certainly a major issue of our times.

The retirement age of 65/66 is legacy of when life expectancy and quality of health and life were a good 10 to 12 years lower, on average, than they are now. And so that model is not sustainable.

But its also not sustainable to tell people in their late 50s and 60s now, that they are arbitrarily having the date when they can avail of their full pension pushed out to age 68.

The new model of giving the option to postpone drawdown of the State Contributory Pension to 70, in return for a higher rate when it does kick in, is good and practical.

But the current minimum 66 for the State pension will become 68 by 2039, one way or the other.

As for me, I can depart from my current career with full pension anytime after 62, and I will judge that nearer the time, but I do intend to keep working part-time, with an increasing balance of leisure and volunteering, maybe even a State Board or two. I don't see myself not "working" in any capacity at all until about my mid-70s, if my health doesn't let me down.

The reason for that outlook on things is that I've seen too many lads reach mandatory retirement without a plan, or something to do every day, and slip into a depressive lifestyle or actually die before age 70 when their motivation left them.

As for you all in physical and shift work, I hope you are able to opt for retirement as soon as you want to, and I wish you many years of rest and recreation, you've certainly earned it.

I have mortgage paid off since I was 55. Will be able to draw down a partial pension when I am 60 in a few years.

That gives me options. Will think about it closer to the time, but remaining financial commitments, general health, life ambitions, any remaining career ambitions will all be factors to allow me to choose to continue working full-time, work shorter hours, do some part-time consultancy-type work or just quit. Decision will be made then depending on where all those factors are.

I'm 47.. been working since I was 16. Now, while I enjoy the work I do… and I'm very good at it… but I'm sick of working for someone else. And I'm at a desk, in front of a monitor, 7.5 hours a day. My wife, almost 8 years younger than me, is on very very good money (public sector) and has 4 salary increases to come by the time she's mid 40's - so we'll be well able to manage (mortgage wise and we've no kids) by the time I'm say, 55?

I'm very creative in my spare time. Build camper vans. Can tackle any DIY/handyman task. I'll find something that pays and that I really enjoy… at my pace. The plan is to start my own little business from home then (we have the space and the garage) and to earn enough to be comfortable - until I'm in my mid-late 60's. That's IF I see my late 60's.

I've lost young friends and family the last 2 years and it's really opened my eyes to enjoy every day and not to get too caught up in retirement talk. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow. You simply can't take it with you. I've seen so many relatives on my side, hers, friends parents, etc… headed to the grave with hundreds of thousands in the bank.

Not me.

I plan to get by on the minimum in my later years and to die with nothing. Spend and enjoy it NOW. Cos we are only here for a good time, not a long time!

Fully retired 6 months ago at 62, had dropped to a 4 day week after COVID. Can do it mainly because of astute investments by my beloved and the fact she earned very good money throughout her career. Paid off mortgage 12 years ago and have a reasonable lifestyle so are extremely lucky. Keeping myself ticking over with volunteering and grandchildren. Very content with life at the moment.

I would love to retire at 60 and that was my plan but a screw up / mistake on my initial pension enrollment (public sector) means that I can't actually retire until 65. If I retire at 60 now I'll get a massively reduced pension. As my youngest will be finished college when I'm 60 I will probably reduce my days and ease into retirement until I'm 65. I sort of have a longer term plan to travel a lot / retire into the sun. I have appealed the mistake on my pension enrollment and if my appeal is successful I'll be out the door at 60 but it's unlikely I'll win my appeal.

If I work where I am until I'm 65 I'll get a fairly large lump sum and a decent pension as I'm on one of the older public sector schemes. I'll also get an Irish contributory pension and a partial (around 50%) UK contributory pension at 66. I'm hoping I'll do ok once I retire financially, just hoping I live that long and am healthy enough to enjoy it.

I dont know if you are married or not, but if you do retire in your early 60s and are single, a great life awaits you if you want it, sauna, swim, the gym, chepe flight to northern Spain for a two-day break bit of cultur and a seafood restaurant all on a weekday while the rest are battling the M50 my sister knowes a big group of them 90% women but they do allow the odd man in, and the are all having a ball.