This has been a great discussion and the things that I have learnt, both from others posting their experience here and from my own experience, is that a bit of planning and self analysis helps. I took a package at age 58 but went freelance and kept working and five years later I am still keeping busy with part-time work and no end in sight. This has given me the flexibility to a. give more time to family and b. buy a Morgan and care for it c. do more flying. My lovely SWMBO is still fully employed so it helps us (we're in the same profession) to be able to talk about work each evening and share the day, so to speak. Some never retire and that's good for them. Some go early and it's great if they can. Others don't have options but I admire those who can get out of bed, smile, and then just get on with life and survival no matter how difficult that can sometimes be. My 91 year-old dad still goes down to his shed every day and makes something with his hands and sometimes sells the result of his labours but more often passes it on to a family member. In our now large extended family he is the example and the tribal elder; the benchmark upon which we calibrate our expectations and aspirations. He shows us how to get through life and we aspire to be like him when we hit our nineties. Oh this has gone on a bit but I just wanted to say that the discussion "retirement beckons" is a good one.
