Retirees- did you retire from a company?Did you save for your retirement from a young age ?

Are you comfortable with your retirement income or do have a hard time making ends meet? What advice would you give to the youngsters to help them plan a better retirement?

Public Comments

1. i live more than comfortable and i did not have all of the choices that are out there now == the roth ira is the best thing since boxed wine --- first and for-most every payday you pay you self first -- keep doing it until you have 6 months of living expenses set aside this is your rainy day fund -- ladder in cd's with one coming due each month -- for retirement if your company has a 401K you match up to what the company puts in than put 5K a year in a roth ira --- if you are making a car payment find - but when it is paid off keep putting the same amount aside and when you go to trade you will have more than just a down payment -- after few cars you will be paying cash for every car -- i could go on and on but if you want a specific answer email me ed
2. I retired at 55. I didn't start investing in my retirement until I was 35 at the company where I worked. As of yet I have not had a hard time making ends meet. I have additional retirement monies from another investment that I will start collecting in two and half years when I turn 60.
3. No there was never any money to save. We were military, just had enough to make ends meet. Still working and am scared to death of retirement for medical and financial reasons.
4. I got a divorce after retirement. She got the gold mine, I got the shaft! So now I'm working and getting my feet back on the ground.
5. By the time you reach 40, you need to concentrate on getting everything paid off. 35 isn't too soon. Once you have everything paid off, be careful not to go in debt again. When your 35 to 40 years old, it looks a long way off, when you think of retireing. Time goes by faster than you think and before you know it your reaching that retirement age. We did retire from a company. We live a very simple life and we do okay. Your life style makes a difference. If you plan to travel, go on cruises, etc., then you will need more for retirement. You can't have everything you see that you would like and spend, spend, spend. You have to limit yourself now, if you expect to have a livable income when you retire.
6. ha ha ha , funney, ya save, save , none of them will have a retirement plan all the companys are killing them off, and if you do save for it the gov will take most of it, 20% off the top and then 20% every time you draw it, bury it in the ground buy guns, [they resale good]
7. I maxed out 20% in my retirement contribution from age 35 until I retired. While I took a big hit in the stock market correction in 2001, I still am doing okay. In fact, I really haven't used any of the retirement income since I retired at the end of June. I'm managing on SS especially since I paid off my real estate loan recently. Retirement planning must start early -the earlier the better. I shudder to think of my friends who have contributed little to their retirement.
8. Neither-I divorced into it. Taking my half of the equity from my CA house 4 years ago will hopefully help me make it through without too much hardship. I don't require much in the way of material things.
9. Semi-comfortable ---- start as soon as you can, putting as much as you can into a Roth account.
10. Yes and yes. I really have to budget, no longer can I afford the luxuries I took for granted while we were employed.
11. I retired from a job with the City of San Diego, and I am comfortable, so far. However, due to Bush's irresponsible management, the huge debt may sink the stock market and my investment. My advice to young people is: Don't vote for religious conservative candidates, ever.
12. They won't listen, anyway. I have 20 years in the Post Office & had to go out on disability. It's a good thing I have a guy who's still working, because I wouldn't have much of a life with my checks.. I put away money during that time, but not nearly enough.
13. I retired from the U.S. Navy at the age of 38. I had 5 jobs before I got the one I've been at for over 14 years. The longest job I held before was 7 years. The shortest was 6 weeks (bored outta my skull). I'll fully retire in about 5 years. I have my Navy retirement, a small retirement from a ship yard that I worked at long enough to be vested (union) and this job (union). I intend to get another job and just work part time, unless I can find one I REALLY like. But FIRST, I want to get a real crappy job just so I can quit because I DON'T have to put up with it. Haven't you ever wished you could do that?
14. Retired from a company. Yes, I had money put aside from my pay check. I was 49 when I started saving for retirement. When I retired at 65 I am making about half as much as I was when I was working including my Social Security. We seem to be doing okay at the moment. If the cost of living keeps (gas prices) increasing it will probably get harder to live. We'll just have to cut back more. If you're young and just starting out I would suggest that you learn how to invest in the stock market.
15. Retired from a company and am very comfortable due to the way we did things. Best advice to the younger people is to read what Mr.Ed wrote and do things that way, no worrys. Live within your means, only have one credit card and use for emergency only.
16. Yes I retired from a company. Yes I saved for my retirement. But not from a very young age. I was married for a long time and my husband handled the finances. But when I went to work I opened a company sponsored (they contributed funds too) IRA account as a part of my retirement plan. I put plenty in there, but after 9/11 when everything went to H-LL in a hand basket - the economy included - I still was not as comfortable as I once was. So I sold my big home and bought a smaller one. Have enough for all my needs but not for all of my wants. START SAVING THE MINUTE YOU GET A JOB! If you do not - you might starve your way thru the retirement years. CJ