Should I Retire – or Re-fire?
Especially when the economy and the times have been turned upside down. Globally. There is a lot of data and research on "should I retire" and when to retire available for the U.S. – from the National Institute on Aging (part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), the U.S. Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) by the Institute for Social Research – to name a few. 
Several trends have increased in popularity. The trends involve both changes in necessity, and also following desires. And a little thinking outside the box. Are any of them for you?According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, more people have been taking early retirement at age 62 because of job loss and difficulty in finding new work in the later stages of working life. A retirement unplanned and perhaps out of necessity. Many more people are under immediate financial stress and feel they have no other choice. Social Security claims are up about 25% over the same time from last year – much higher than expected. For them, it’s not Should I Retire, but I Must Retire. On the other hand, for those who are employed and able, more people are intending to work past the set retirement age. Some out of necessity. They may have lost their nest egg or experienced another financial difficulty during the down turn. 
But there are other retirement ideas. There are those who intend to “re-fire” not retire; to work longer, but at something they really enjoy. They intend to keep working because they want to. For them, it’s not Should I Retire, but Don’t Retire. Most of us are aware (probably over-kill aware) of what it takes financially to retire. It can make your head spin. The financial piece is something we all need to sort out for ourselves, ideally with a good financial planner and input from a Social Security Administration representative. We know there are financial trade-offs for retiring early at age 62. There may be an immediate solution now, but when the economy betters, what will be our consequences 10 to 30 years from now? We may be okay now, but what about when we’re 80? (And keep in mind, women live longer than men). This is a crucial component when asking ourselves, Should I Retire. 
Perhaps it’s time to review the entire concept of “retiring.” Do we have to retire? Do we really even want to? Just what, exactly, are we retiring from? A crummy job we dislike? Dealing with difficult bosses and/or co-workers? Long hours and hard work with low pay? Boredom? Exhaustion? Lack of fulfillment? Are there health issues? And what do we want to do with all that time, instead? Will it be as fun as we thought, given our finances?How did this retirement age mindset even begin? The concept of retirement is actually rather recent in the overall scope of history. It began in Germany around 1880 when industry decided that men were too old to carry on certain trades at certain ages, because physical strength and accuracy were at risk by about age 65. So they mandated when to retire. Keep in mind that age 65 was much “older” than is that age nowadays. That was very old and the life expectancy was, of course, much shorter than now. It had become a safety issue, not a “should I retire” issue. Before that, folks worked into a ripe old age. Mostly everyone did it. In a way, it was a sign of vitality. When you stopped working, generally speaking, family or the community helped care for you. People did not sit and worry about retirement, nor did they frenetically analyze data sets nor pound away at endless retirement calculators. So, it there anything wrong with not retiring? Of course not. It’s all in our thinking. It depends on what we, as individuals want and what the purpose of our retiring is. Is “should I retire” a sort of escape? – to what? 
What if the popular phrase “re-firing” became the norm instead? What if we had something so interesting and enjoyable to work at, that we wanted to continue? And the “should I retire” thing was a non-issue. Well, why not? It would certainly give us a financial boost. There are, after all, many who work well into their later years – from those in public office, to those in service professions, to shop keepers, to gardeners, to caregivers, to teachers, to consultants, to repair and maintenance experts, to taxi drivers, that work well into their 80s. We see them on TV and hear about them all the time. Many people really like to work because they’re doing what they enjoy, making money, contributing, and have a sense of satisfaction. For them, when to retire, or even Should I Retire, is not an issue at all. And some, in fact, intend to keep working until the day they “leave.” And why not. “Should I retire” basically depends on these main factors:
My dad always said, “Fishing isn’t as special anymore when that’s what you do every day.” 
So sit down with a notebook and pen. Get out a cup of coffee or glass of good wine. And let your imagination loose. When you ask yourself, "Should I retire," also ask yourself a few other questions:
So “should I retire” becomes a question far more meaningful than just the financial piece. And it should be. It is a well-known fact that staying busy, feeling satisfied and mentally alive, and being productive are excellent ways to boost health and ward off memory problems and other elderly issues. In addition to Should I Retire, also be sure to read: When To Retire – U.S. Government Tips -- So you've decided you should retire (and maybe not re-fire). When to retire has become an even more confusing issue during changing economic times. There are specific timelines and tips to help though, from the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Take a look at their guidelines to give you more info in your decisions. Finding A Hobby -- Finding a hobby that is just right for you will give you a lifetime of enjoyment. Here’s the coolest list of hobby ideas (for all ages) either to do alone or in a group. Retirement Financial Planning - From Here To There -- Done your retirement financial planning? It doesn't have to be overwhelming, and you don't have to yet make decisons about Should I Retire. Learn the basics and see our tips to get from Here...to There. Finding A Financial Planner - And Getting A Good One -- Finding a financial planner takes a lot of careful preparation. If you want someone really good. You need to know specific questions to ask yourself – and to ask the potential financial planner. Do you know them? Saving For Retirement - Even If You Think You Can't -- Saving for retirement - yeah, sure. Good intentions. But are you really doing it. And how? Paying Off Debt -- Debt collections can be a very scary world. Learn why there is more to paying off debt than you may ever imagine! Return from Should I Retire or Re-fire, back to Retirement Ideas copyright 2009-2011, OneSong, LLC
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