I hope you never ask... when can I retire?...because it means you are relying on someone else to make this decision for you.


If you ask other people, friends, co workers and financial planners...they will almost never say Right Now. Why?

It could just be jealousy...they have to work why shouldn't you be miserable too.

Jealousy should be easy for you to spot.

More dangerous is buying into a formula that you have to have this saved before you can retire, or be able to generate x from your investments to retire.

Remember John D Rockefeller? You sure would not want to ask him, the above question ...he never retired. Now he was a philanthrophist and employed many people...don't get me wrong. We need a certain amount of highly driven people, like John D. They just don't have to be you or me.


I am assuming you are interested in the answer to the question, because you want some time for yourself...Good for you.

It is more about time left than aquiring money...IMHO.

The longer you wait to retire the older you will be, the worse health you will have, the less you will enjoy retirement.


This is not being cynical it is a fact...one often ignored when we think of asking , "When can I retire?"

Do not let this be you

Being retired now for 17 years I have heard a lot of responses to when can I retire?

Most go like this...I'll retire when:

• I have x in the bank (remember the lottery scenario)
• I can pay cash for such and such RV or boat
• I can pay cash for the beach house
• My kids are through with college
• When the stars are aligned properly

Do you see the common thread here?...In all cases retirement is being put off...In all cases you are getting older...In all cases you will be retired for less time.

No one knows except you...no one knows what is going on in your life...no one else really knows the state of your health...no one else knows how important it is for you to retire.

You hold all the cards. You decide when you will retire rather than asking for someone else's permision.

Don't let someone else define your happiness as having a certain house, a certain sized portfolio, a certain monthly pension. This is your decision and yours alone.



Few financial planners will agree with you when you say I am going to spend in retirement only 25% of what you  spend right now while working. If you really want to retire you can find a way to spend 25% of your working outgo...but no one but you can make that decision but you.

Retirement is a personal thing and hopefully you have picked some pointers on frugal living to eneble you to retire without asking someone else...When can I retire?

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