Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Re-Tire-Ment!

It is upon me.....August 31st is the magic date.

I have looked forward to this for several years....and now the Duchess and I are going through what is proving to be a rigorous process. She left her position as a Cardiac Surgical Nurse Clinician (after 30 years) at the end of April.

We are still awaiting her first retirement check from our employer. There is a loooong process involved; 1st, you have to have received your last check...she got hers in June for more than 600 hours of accrued sick time unused. Then within a month they send out your application form for the money. Next she will receive a letter giving her three choices.....1)Take the money and invest it yourself; 2) Take a monthly pay for the rest of your life; or, 3) Take a monthly pay which is less and would continue to me if she dies first.

We're thinking September for her first check! April to September....Unless we choose to invest the money ourselves...a good possibility.

I am anticipating a much quicker turnaround as I don't have the hours stored up which caused a lot of her delay. However, as I have worked too long this year, and am still a couple of years short of my "normal retirement age" of 65 years and 10 months, I will not file for Social Security until after January 1st 2007. Then my continuing contract work for my employer cannot exceed $1,000 monthly until my normal retirement age is reached. Else, I will lose $1 in Social Security for every $2 I make over that amount. (It is an annualized amount, not monthly!)

Scarey stuff to deal with....lots of choices and decisions, and not a very clear picture of those choices from anyone!

But then, the motorhome awaits....and we are ready to rumble. I am covering that part of our life on my other blog, & Then I Bought an RV!

Drop in there after the end of August and follow our travels....or go take a peak now for the few submissions including our first major trip to Illinois/Wisconsin and back in June. There will be more pictures there as we travel.

Duke

posted by Duke of DeLand @ 7/25/2006 08:23:00 AM