I've been working in construction since I was 18. I have probably worked for over 50 companies in all of those years. I can't imagine working for the same company for 41 years. Been way too many lay-offs, company closures, firings, relocations, and "we're going in a different directions."

You are to be THANKED!!!!!!

Big time

Both my Son and his Wife, now retired, did Special ED, Hard, although Very satisfying at times.

I’m somewhat diversified now just a big amount in market. I don’t have company retirement plan as I have been self employed since I was about 25. Yes we will pull it out slowly and put in safer investments.

For the long haul, the right mutual funds are the way to go.....until.....you get a good bit closer to retirement, but not AT the time of retirement.

Five to seven years or so before you will need the assets, you should be watching for what looks like "high times in the market" and choose to sell part of what you have in mutual funds (but still keep it within your retirement investment account). Put those proceeds into CDs, money market funds, or possibly a bond fund. This is now your safe "first bucket" of retirement funding. You took the opportunity to convert it to cash when the market was up, and now it's dollar value protected. This bucket should be what you plan to need for the first couple of years, maybe a little more. This way, you don't run right up to retirement, need funds, and find yourself at a lull in the market when selling would be terrible timing. A year or two later, you try to do the same thing. If the market is terrible, live off the "cash bucket" and wait for the market to improve for a seller. You can find info on the internet with more detail about how to plan retirement with the "bucket approach".

Retiring Friday April 3, time to go. 47.5 years, turn 66 April 4.

What is your point? I planned to know when it felt right and I planned to do whatever I felt like doing. Not everyone is a paint by numbers.

Congratulations!!!

I get the logic completely

Congrads Bandit.

That will be one month later than I did. Let me tell you it is great even with all this krap going on.

My office may end up being closed through April. I can't work from home, but still getting paid. I'm seriously considering turning in my papers if it goes that long. I won't be able to completely retire due to my age, but I keep getting the feeling that I've ridden this horse about as far as I can. I'm single with no dependents, so that helps.

been retired 15 years and been best 15 years of my life....and got so ornery and independent,I couldn't even be a greeter at walmart anymore...
couple of suggestions....get everything paid for before you retire and get a supplemental insurance policy to go with your medicare and you shouldn't have any out of pocket medical expenses except some of your prescription costs....
if you got some travel or things to do on your bucket list,try to get it done as soon as possible because we ain't guaranteed how many years we gonna get to complete that list....

At 74 I retired from my remodeling business last May, unexpectedly. I'm enjoying being able to relax and not having to do anything right now. But I expect to be the head of a rather sizeable innercity ministry probably next year, and I'm looking forward to the challenge of running a large operation and also being able to minister to people personally and individually. I'll probably retire permanently when I'm 85.