OK - I'm Officially Old

COSteve · Post by **COSteve** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 3:45 pm

Yesterday, after talking to my investment guy and tax guy we all agreed now that I'm 64+, it was time for me to apply for Social Security Retirement Benefits instead of waiting till 66, so I went online and filled out the form. So, starting January 2012, I'm 'on the dole' and will receive my first SS payment the second Wednesday of each month. My first check will come in February for January eligibility.

Last night my wife told me, "You're now Officially Old."

2X22 · Post by **2X22** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:00 pm

Whew! You had me worried there....

But now I know I have 13 years to go before I am officially old

2x22

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:11 pm

Whippersnapper.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:15 pm

Yep, the wife & I had that conversation several weeks back... tho' I still have a few years to go. However, I also figured out that I'd need to win the lotto in order to retire in the manner to which I'd like to become accustomed!

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:16 pm

my deepest regrets for your loss...your youth will be dearly missed... :)

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:21 pm

HA! I have been on the dole for 4 years and medicare, too.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:41 pm

At least you might see a check. I figure by the time I'm ready, another 11 years, they'll be passing out I.O.U.'s

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:59 pm

Been there done that about 8 1/2 years ago. It`s time to start getting back what you put in. Life is a gamble. I belived in getting it early as I could. You have to live quite old to make up for waiting. Everyones prospects are different. Congradulations. I remember a guy at lockheed that dropped over dead loading his toolbox in his car the day he retired!

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:59 pm

I could be old in a year and a half (I'm 60) but as addicted to money as I am, I'll prolly work a few more years or so.

Nazgul · Post by **Nazgul** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:03 pm

4 years and counting for me. Had a really frustrating day at work yesterday, it was cold and raining and I was working outside. Got home and asked my wife why I was still doing this! She reminded me we have three kids in college.

I shut up and went to bed.

Don

pdawg.shooter · Post by **pdawg.shooter** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:23 pm

No way S.S. will cover my gun/shooting/reloading/casting/hunting habit. Guess I will just work till I die!

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:29 pm

pdawg.shooter wrote:No way S.S. will cover my gun/shooting/reloading/casting/hunting habit. Guess I will just work till I die!

Same here - add mortgage and practice-debt to the hobby stuff though. . .

Good news is - I'm self-employed, and I actually enjoy my job.

kevin in nh · Post by **kevin in nh** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:37 pm

Other than the Kubota I bought last May I own everything, house cars truck etc, but I don't think with taxes and everything else that I will ever get to retire and will have to work til I die.....my pay has gone up but no where as much as everything else.......if I could I would retire in a minute as work is a means to an end and I would like to tend my garden, work on my house, hunt and shoot even if its just cheap .22s........life is way to short.

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:54 pm

We don't get full retirement from our Co until 65 anyway, so I plan on working until 66 when I am eligible for SS. I will be 58 in Feb; 8 more years, it will be here before I know it.

piller · Post by **piller** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:39 pm

I have to work until I am 72 to get one-half as much from S.S. as I earn now.

Birdman · Post by **Birdman** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:17 pm

10-12 years for me. As jobs go I enjoy mine most of the time. It's funny how as my buddies and I get closer to retirement our conversations have changed from conquring the world with cars, motorcycles, guns, and the ladies to now talking how we will make retirement happen, and how soon.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:17 pm

I retired once, now I'm just tired.

Congrats on your decision.

Batman1939 · Post by **Batman1939** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:21 pm

Age is a relative thing, but by my lights you're a youngster. At least you got signed up during a year when there was a COLA. It's not much, but then it's better than 0 increase. If the country remains solvent, we may continue to collect. And, it shouldn't be considered an "entitlement"; we contributed to that fund for many years.

Welcome to the Codgers Forum !!!

dennie · Post by **dennie** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:27 pm

Congrats on your S.S.! I been getting mine for about a year and a half. Next year I get a 3.6% raise. Ain't much, but bigger than the raises I had been getting at my job!
dennie

tman · Post by **tman** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 8:40 pm

11 years to go

Post by **Old Savage** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:02 pm

# 1 - you are getting your own money back. And second - according to Aunt Clara you are not even close.

rodeo kid · Post by **rodeo kid** » Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:04 pm

CoSteve, welcome to the club, it's nice to be on the dole even though I still work part time. Just curious, you said you would get your check the second Wednesday of the Month and mine always comes on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Just wondered if they changed it. God Bless.

COSteve · Post by **COSteve** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:13 am

rodeo kid wrote:CoSteve, welcome to the club, it's nice to be on the dole even though I still work part time. Just curious, you said you would get your check the second Wednesday of the Month and mine always comes on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Just wondered if they changed it. God Bless.

I filled out the online form yesterday morning and a very pleasant woman called this morning and told me she was my 'case worker'. She said that I could actually start this month and get my first check in January but I said leave it like I applied for it so she told me that with direct deposit it will go into my account on the second Wednesday of each month.

OJ · Post by OJ » Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:58 am

I didn't get around to retiring and collecting Social Security until I was 68 years old - the young (they all are now) lady's first question was, "What took you so long?".

I make no claim to being older than dirt - but - I am older than the Mt Rushmore Memorial mountain. It was in July, 1927 my folks were vacationing from Nebraska Sandhills in Custer State Park in the South Dakota Black Hills. President Coolidge was there to dedicate the bare mountain so G. Borglum could start carving faces there. First Lady Mrs Grace Coolidge was out on the front lawn of the Game Lodge (where they always stayed) visiting with any and all who wanted to stop and visit with her. Dad asked if he could take her picture and she was not only willing but, offered to hold their 11 month old son - saying she had a son named Jack also.

My mother never forgave me for being so interested in the Chow Chow dog Mrs Coolidge had to not look up for the picture.

I guess the secret service was busy doing what they were organized to do after the civil war - chasing counterfeit money and distributors - sure wouldn't happen today. Note the lack of any crowd.

olyinaz · Post by **olyinaz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:03 am

Congrats. Figure I'll be lucky to ever see a dime of it.

Oly

olyinaz · Post by **olyinaz** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:07 am

Fantastic post OJ. Simply wonderful.

Best,
Oly

OJ wrote:I didn't get around to retiring and collecting Social Security until I was 68 years old - the young (they all are now) lady's first question was, "What took you so long?".

I make no claim to being older than dirt - but - I am older than the Mt Rushmore Memorial mountain. It was in July, 1927 my folks were vacationing from Nebraska Sandhills in Custer State Park in the South Dakota Black Hills. President Coolidge was there to dedicate the bare mountain so G. Borglum could start carving faces there. First Lady Mrs Grace Coolidge was out on the front lawn of the Game Lodge (where they always stayed) visiting with any and all who wanted to stop and visit with her. Dad asked if he could take her picture and she was not only willing but, offered to hold their 11 month old son - saying she had a son named Jack also.

My mother never forgave me for being so interested in the Chow Chow dog Mrs Coolidge had to not look up for the picture.

I guess the secret service was busy doing what they were organized to do after the civil war - chasing counterfeit money and distributors - sure wouldn't happen today. Note the lack of any crowd.

Bill in Oregon · Post by **Bill in Oregon** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:57 am

OJ: That was a fabulous post!

Steve: I have three years and change to go ... hope I live that long.

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:40 am

No way S.S. will cover my gun/shooting/reloading/casting/hunting habit. Guess I will just work till I die!

(And motorcycling......

)

.......if I could I would retire in a minute as work is a means to an end and I would like to tend my garden, work on my house, hunt and shoot

I'm gonna have to work until I'm 67 to get a decent State pension, and then
until I'm 70 to get the full Social Security. (This State - Maine - is one of the
very few with the Social Security offset.

) I'd love to be able to quit
tomorrow, but I've two great kids to feed.

-Stretch

jlchucker · Post by **jlchucker** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 12:17 pm

Geezerhood, by tradtion, starts at 65! Congratulations to all who have attained, or about to attain such a lofty status. Some geezers unfortunately have to work beyond this age. Others choose to. Then there are the rest of us.

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:09 pm

COSteve wrote:Yesterday, after talking to my investment guy and tax guy we all agreed now that I'm 64+, it was time for me to apply for Social Security Retirement Benefits instead of waiting till 66, so I went online and filled out the form. So, starting January 2012, I'm 'on the dole' and will receive my first SS payment the second Wednesday of each month. My first check will come in February for January eligibility.

Last night my wife told me, "You're now Officially Old."

Spend it and enjoy Steve!
Congrats!

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:16 pm

OJ wrote:I make no claim to being older than dirt - but - I am older than the Mt Rushmore Memorial mountain.

You may be older than the memorial, but I call BS on being older than the mountain.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:05 pm

At 74 I have been drawing for awhile, after all I started paying in to this mess in the 1950's. Sure do hope there is some left for those that have a ways to go yet.

OJ · Post by OJ » Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:06 am

FWiedner wrote:
OJ wrote:I make no claim to being older than dirt - but - I am older than the Mt Rushmore Memorial mountain.
You may be older than the memorial, but I call BS on being older than the mountain.

Well - OK - true - but I'm old enough to have had the First Lady of the USA hug me in public - and I got away with it. How many here are old enough to qualify there ??

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:39 pm

OJ wrote:
FWiedner wrote:
OJ wrote:I make no claim to being older than dirt - but - I am older than the Mt Rushmore Memorial mountain.
You may be older than the memorial, but I call BS on being older than the mountain.

Well - OK - true - but I'm old enough to have had the First Lady of the USA hug me in public - and I got away with it. How many here are old enough to qualify there ??

Ok, maybe just me, but I would not want the First Lady(?) to hug me...private or anyplace else

Bis · Post by **Bis** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 4:06 pm

COSteve as others have said, welcome to the club. I was in the same boat as you, just 5 months ahead of you. I retired in July at 64+. I hate the system of paying on Wednesday. It is based on what day of the month your birthday falls on. Mine is the 20th so my check comes on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, which sounds great but it is a different date each month. In my case the check can arrive on the 15 thru the 21 depending on how many days there were in the last month. Now if I can just get my bill collectors to agree to me paying them on a certain day and not a date I will be ok.
So much for my bi**hing. enjoy your new life.

jackruff · Post by **jackruff** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:14 pm

Congratulations! I reached the 65 milestone last spring and retired in the summer. So far, so good. You and I can console ourselves with the fact that we will not die young.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:29 pm

I will turn 66 in August. I plan to sign up for the dole a couple months prior to that and will most likely work part time for the outfit where I have worked for the last 10+ years.

I have been paying in to SS full time since `66`. Time to get some of my money back.

adirondakjack · Post by **adirondakjack** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:36 pm

checks all used to go out the third of each month. Then in order to spread out the load on banks, etc, they broke em into weekly runs based on either alphabet or SSAN blocks,

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:49 pm

AJMD429 wrote:I actually enjoy my job.

Don't believe I have EVER made that statement !

Meeteetse · Post by **Meeteetse** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:38 pm

Congratulations. Passed that threshold two years ago. As much as we may complain, I get up ever morning and thank the Lord for allowing me another day on the green side of the grass. Now that I am officially retired, I don't know why I waited so long. It is by far the best time I have had since I got my first job 54 years ago. What the hell happened to the time?? There is nothing wrong with getting paid back for what you have put in. ENJOY!!

Ji in Hawaii · Post by **Ji in Hawaii** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:02 am

Well that's a relief, I thought old was when I started getting mail from AARP.

OJ · Post by OJ » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:15 am

BlaineG wrote:
OJ wrote:
FWiedner wrote:
OJ wrote:I make no claim to being older than dirt - but - I am older than the Mt Rushmore Memorial mountain.
You may be older than the memorial, but I call BS on being older than the mountain.

Well - OK - true - but I'm old enough to have had the First Lady of the USA hug me in public - and I got away with it. How many here are old enough to qualify there ??

Ok, maybe just me, but I would not want the First Lady(?) to hug me...private or anyplace else

Well - OK - none of what I wrote was intended to be taken seriously -

OTOH, I think there was something neat - friendly - trusting - among other virtues - that the president's wife was out on the front lawn of the Game Lodge so she could visit with any tourists or others who wanted to stop and visit with her. A far cry from the way some president's family members seem the regard themselves as royalty - untouchable - well above a front lawn visit with "commoners" (spell "citizens" - or maybe even "employers"). I don't remember it but my folks said she was very friendly and gracious (no pun intended).

Wish we could get more people in the White House with that friendly attitude toward the "commoners" now and show it so sincerely - rather than expressing the view that "this is the first time I can honestly say I'm proud of my country" as one first lady did.

jackruff · Post by **jackruff** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:04 am

I'm enjoying my retirement so far. My 43 years in public education went by quickly, although there were some really slow days!

COSteve · Post by **COSteve** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:39 am

jackruff wrote:I'm enjoying my retirement so far. My 43 years in public education went by quickly, although there were some really slow days!

I hear you. I was in the defense industry for 41.5 and it's hard to believe how fast the time went.

rossim92 · Post by **rossim92** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:57 am

I'm 48 now. will have to work till i'm 67 for full payment of s.s. Nah

hope to retire when i am 62. I own all my stuff and hope to stay that way if i can. good luck on your retirement. Don't worry about old age, it wont last long.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:25 pm

Good decision; a guy at work decided to wait until he was 67, then he retired, collected two checks and died.

I figured that if I retired early - 8 years from now - it would take me until I was 85 to lose out. Plus you have your freedom when you are younger and can still do things. I think it will be easier to accept old age if I have already done the things I always wanted to do.

Rafe Covington · Post by **Rafe Covington** » Sun Dec 25, 2011 8:56 pm

Guess that means I will be old in April, wife called me an old fanny burp for years.

Rafe

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Mon Dec 26, 2011 2:41 am

Well I certainly have a few years to worry about wheather or not I will retire. However, I have seen a trend of people that die within 10 yrs of retiring, therefore, I DONT PLAN TO RETIRE!

pricedo · Post by **pricedo** » Mon Dec 26, 2011 5:34 am

piller wrote:I have to work until I am 72 to get one-half as much from S.S. as I earn now.

I just finished crunching the numbers & I'll be 109 years of age when I'm finally free of debt.

Time to buy another levergun.

Mutt · Post by **Mutt** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:16 pm

When I had to retire my income was cut exactly in half. Hope you are having a better go at it . Money doesn't go very far with Drs,meds, breakdowns , plus the body can't do the physical work needed instead of calling a repair man.

BUT I really like sleeping late , and just driving by the gate at work without stopping .
Now that's something .