Early Retirement - What Now?

by Patricia
( New York)

I am 56 and worked for a utility for 22 years. I had planned on working until 60 with 26 years which would give me a good retirement.

With layoffs and rumors, the Union was given the option of an early retirement package and my first thought was "I want this but didn't know if I could afford to" so I decided to check things out.

Boy, this is what I thought about for years leaving this boring, high drama clerical job to do what "I WANTED" and be FREE.

I had a back injury back in 1994 and have had a workman comp case. I had 2 surgeries back in the early 2000's and had been doing pretty good until 2008. I went back to my doctor and had a test that things looked good and then I continued working sitting all the time.

In early 2009 my back continued to hurt so I asked the company to provide me an ergonomics setup and they never did it.. it was still in the works according to them when this early retirement package was provided.

I decided to check with my doctor on my back and you know how long that takes. I didn't have time for all the facts to come in for my back to make a good decision on my retirement to take it or wait. Between my lack of information on my back, the added rumors of my job going away, all the employee drama I decided to take the little pay and run for it.

I contacted a financial advisor and sent him all my information and he called and said that I should be able to do it but take some of my 401 K money each month. Oh boy - the green light to go! I did it and after I left.


I missed the people, worried all the time over money. My husband was always upset - why did you retire and now you have to worry all the time about money "I don't want to hear it".

Just the time I was to leave the union told us that our retiree health insurance was going up 2/3 which is about a quarter of my monthly pay so that didn't help my money woos.

I went back to my back doctor and he found that I have a crack in my spine and now I will have to go to pain management and therapy. I went to my daughter's house to get away and while there I got a bad sinus infection and is now on antibotics.

Please tell me someone that life will get better and that we can enjoy living on less. I will be doing research on this to dig myself out of this pity party and saddness that I am in....

Wendy: I am guessing you are the same gal I just responded to elsewhere on this site.. please join my Retirement Transition Group. It's not just you, even if everything was perfect, you might feel this way...

Retirement SOUNDS great, when its far away.
Then you retire and WHOOPS, what happened?

I hope you find your way.. it does get better!

p.s. Tell your husband to stop picking on you... or I'll cyber-punch him one.. grin!