Am I Retired or What???

Here is a reply I left on a private forum on personal finance that I thought might be of interest. The questions was “What do you say when people ask if you are retired?”

In my 70s I probably look the part. I collect SS and my RMD. But I still dabble with my consulting practice, so when asked I offer one of the following:

I’m semi-retired (whatever that means)

I keep failing retirement

I retired at 41 when I went on my own

The last may be the most accurate. I was still “working” but it never felt that way. And when I hit the first million a few years later, I was having fun, so why stop? Plus I had the freedom to take time off anytime. And no bosses telling me what to do.

Never regretted leaving the rat race early, even though not fully FI (financially independent) at the time. Nor did my late business partner when I asked if he had regrets a few weeks before the cancer got him. His response, said with a chuckle, “Maybe one regret. Perhaps we should have done this sooner.” But we had 28 fun filled years working (or was it retired) together.

Still having fun, and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I received several “likes” on “failing retirement.” I stay involved at a low level for fun (and profit.) As a college friend who does the same says, “It keeps your mind from going to seed.” I’ll leave that assessment up to those who know me 🙂

But one of the joys of consulting is that you never need to fully retire. There does not need to be a day where you pack up your desk, go home, and wonder what to do next. If you like what you are doing, you can keep doing it at whatever level you desire. And it even brings in “fun money” for the occasional toy.

I stay involved these days teaching classes, but no longer do one-one-one consulting other than by phone. Thanks to COVID, the teaching is all on-line, something I had been considering for some time. My reluctance was whether I’d miss the live personal feedback, but after several multi-day Zoom classes, I’m hooked. No more planes and hotels!

If you are already retired but bored or restless, consider starting a consulting practice. You may even find you enjoy “working” again. More details and examples here.

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