Puzzled...to Retire or Not to Retire, that is the question?

By Debbie Comer

When the government first raised the retirement age from 65 to 66 years and 8 months for my age group, I initially felt frustrated. Why was I being asked to work an additional 20 months? Now, with just 7 months until that milestone, I find myself reflecting on what retirement might actually look like.

How will I spend my days? Sit around doing crafts, start a little side hustle, or watch the paint peel?

The financial side of retirement weighs heavily, too. My mother mentioned she’ll be getting a 2.5% increase in her Social Security benefits in 2025...BIG WHOOP! But wait, cost of living is up 21.4% in the last 4 years. I have heard of old people having to eat cat food to get by, but honestly have you seen the price of cat food? My animals are eating us out of house and home!

In many ways, preparing for retirement resembles other major life decisions. Just like starting a family, if you wait until you feel financially “ready,” you might never take the leap. As I weigh my options, I’m comforted by all I’ve managed to navigate so far—I've survived being young and broke, I've survived being a mom, I've survived losing people I loved, and I've survived a whole lot of years. I reckon I will survive retirement too...or I won't. I guess none of us survive retirement, that is sort of the point.

Looking ahead, I imagine my future filled with simple joys—craft projects, time with my animals, maybe a few trips. Whether I retire exactly at 66 years and 8 months next May, or wait a little longer, depends largely on my work family. My coworkers make me laugh, we are silly together and we have each others backs in a way I will miss when I am gone. It's the people at JPT that tie me to this place just as surely as the paycheck. So yes, I see plenty of lunch dates in my future to come catch up with the gang. Life goes on…