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Well, today will not be too hard. We go to church with all the teachers from the Archdiocese of Washington at the Shrine in DC. Usually we get to go home after that but today we have a meeting because my principal has to take her daughter to college later in the week.

Next week, the kids come. I have 11 boys and 5 girls but I also see the other 5th grade class for science and social studies.

Ok. Monday would have been my first day back for this school year. DH planned a trip to Atlantic City -- Sunday to Wednesday and I can go! Now I really feel like I am retired. And today I got a letter that the state has received all my information and will be processing my first monthly check. Life is good.:)

Monday is my first day back at school but only for teacher meetings. The kids start the following Monday.

DH and I retired two months ago. We are still adjusting. We can't keep up with what day it is and now when one of us asks what day it is - the other replies "it's Saturday because now everyday is Saturday"!

 

We are getting our primary house ready to sell, figuring out health insurance and a million other things and don't know how we had time to ever work? But I LOVE that feeling of not having to stress out on Sunday nights. I grew to hate Sunday nights!

 

Debbie

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Oh my goodness - you are walking my life already - We are trying to get our house ready to list, also - but I'm not home everyday to help so it seems like it's taking forever. Looking forward to a relocation - we already know the challenge of "finding and sharing our space". DH has been home for 10 yrs dues to disability and ultimately retirement. Now we will get to re-adjust again. Don't get me wrong - I am SO looking forward to it!!! And the Insurance is a little daunting but guess I'll figure it out. :)

 

Are you staying in NoVa - we are headed to FL but dd lives in Asburn. Hate your traffic not that NJ is a whole lot better - gotta LOVE 95 - lol!!!

 

My husband has been disabled for 9 years at the age of 53 due to viral encephalitis and cancer. That is why I plan to work to 66 so that I can keep insurance and when I do retire I get full benefits and I am not limited to how much I can earn.

 

I taught for many year with a teacher who retired from my school. At the beginning of last school year, I saw her at a meeting. She became a principal at the age of 74. She was a great teacher.

People usually move south when they retire. We have friends from Wisconsin that moved to North Carolina for work and to be close to her parents. Well, they both retired (at 62) and they are moving back to Wisconsin to be near their two kids.

Hi, thanks for all the help with the SS questions. I did call SS on Monday and I can't collect anything as a spouse of a disabled person because there is a limit as to how much you can earn but it was worth it to ask. I also found out that at 66, Kevin will collect retirement not disability payment but that his amount will not drop which is important because at 66 he will not have worked for 13 years. Also, that 3 months before your 65th birthday all people can get the hospitalization part of medicare but I can keep my insurance through work until we are ready for the other part. Just so everyone knows, you have to stay over night in a regular room for medicare to pay. Kevin went to the ER about a year ago and they put him in a room over night but it was an observation room so SS did not pick up the difference.

Yes, they can early $24,000 a year but anythiing they earn over the 15 thousand amount, the rest of it will reduce their SS check.

You are right about the amount you can earn. I read the booklets and it gave me the answers to all of my questions including that question. I am going to go to the website tomorrow. Because I decided to work until 66, I thought that I could wait to set up a login until I get closer to retirement but it is better to know the right information before that happens.

Well, I just came back from the Montgomery County fair with my daughter and her family. There was a booth (although no person was manning it) for SS. I took every booklet that they had. I plan on reading all of them (about 5). One line in the disability booklet caught my eye. Under family benefits, it said "Certain members of your family may qualify for benefits based on your work. They include your spouse , if he or she is age 62 or older." It went on to list several situations. I need to check this out. It does not say anything about a spouse who is working. No one mentioned this to us although it has been 9 years since we talked to SS. I know that they check with Kevin's doctors yearly and once we had to fill out some other paper work.

Shirley...the second question I don't know but this is similar. 2 teacher friends of mine lost there spouses and both men were disabled. They both lost that income when their husbands passed away. HOWEVER if they continue to work at age 66 they will again collect their husband's disability. One is still working. (She is 69) Sort of sad...don't know where these laws come from. This is in Louisiana. Don't know about other states.

 

Deb

So I think Kevin will stay on disability which has more benefits. I know when your husband dies, you can collect your husband's benefits if it is higher. My mother never worked so now that my dad passed away she gets his amount. Also I have a teacher who retired and she gets her husband's benefit because he made more money than she did. Right now I have made more money and worked longer than Kevin so mine is higher.

Thanks everyone that gave an answer, it helps.

I retired mid year this year at age 62. I will get 75% of my SS benefit from retiring early. To finish out this year, I can earn 1290 a month without giving ant of the SS back. It's a special thing for a partial year. Beginning in January 2015, the max is no longer per month, it's per year, and that number this year is $15,480.

 

You can earn it all in one

Month or spread out throughout the year, but it's a monthly cap for your first year if it's a partial year.

 

Did you know that for every MONTH you retire after age 62 (and before age 66) you aetn more SS. My husband plans to retire at 64 and he will get 84% of his full benefit.

 

 

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That is another reason that I want to work until 66 so that I can get the full benefit. Two teachers that retired at 62 and are working as subs said that they can earn $24,000 a year. I better check with SS. I have not really been on the site which I should do.

I will give you my understanding of SS. Taking it at 62 gives you a reduced benefit and there is a very low limit as to how much you can earn without a penalty. So continuing to work at that age when collecting SS usually isn't worth it unless it is a part time limited income job.

 

At age 66 (full retirement benefit for most people) allows a higher benefit per month as well as being able to continue to work without penalty.

 

At age 70 there is about a 30% increase in monthly amount because of waiting to collect.

 

Please contact your local SS office for specific questions. The SS website online can also be very helpful.

Ok, so the teacher is correct. The reason I asked is that I make a lot more money than I thought I would every make in teaching and if I wanted to continue working to 67 or 68, it would be nice to get SS too. This teacher's husband is 5 years younger than her and was in construction. So he retired at 60.

Welcome and best wishes, Nancy and Alex. Please check out the info for your insurance carefully. It is surprising how many people, within the health care system, don't fully understand the benefits available to members. Ask many questions and then ask them again. Better to be safe than sorry. Katherine

I agree with you totally since I have to deal with health insurance people at least once a week (Just got off the phone with the billing dept. of one doctor). Check your bills carefully when you get them. I got a bill from an eye doctor that we had been seeing for 7 years for the full amount. I could not get an answer from their billing dept. person. We have a nurse that helps us out with problems since we have several health problems (this is a feature that is provide by our insurance company for no charge). She talked to the insurance company and the doctor's office and found that they put down the wrong tax id number so it was showing the doctor as out of network. The insurance company paid the bill after they made the correction.

I was wondering if we could help one another with things of retirement like how to understand social security, health insurance, etc. Here is a question that I have if anyone can answer it. My husband is permanently disabled. Does he stay on disability or does he flip to ss at age 66? He's disability is probably more money since he stopped working at age 54. Another question.

One of the teachers in my school turned 66 this past year. She says that she can collect her full ss and continue working as a teacher. I thought their was a limit as to how much you can earn or your ss is reduced. What is correct?

In the school system that I am in, we get 10 sick days per school year. We can use 3 days for personal business the rest are for sickness although this principal is pretty good about letting us use days for other things. At one point, we could only accumulate up to 30 days to be used in severe illness of self or family member. 8 years ago, I used mine up because of my husband's illnesses. But now I have them back in fact they will now let us have up to 40 days. But when I retire, I lose everything. So I have been using my days in fact I am doing something that I have never done. We get off 1 1/2 weeks at Easter. Usually, I cruise the week after Easter. Well the week before Easter on the Quantum was cheaper than the week after. So I asked my principal if I could take my personal days the week before and she said yes. So now we are getting a balcony for less than the price of an inside room.

Oh we will have a close race for that last day worked. If I don't use to many sick/personal days I was planning for my last working day to be Jan. 16th which would be the same as yours....lol

 

(But I'm taking 4 days for a cruise and a couple for when my son and his wife have their baby....time will tell!!!) In the meantime I will be looking for a camel to take a picture with!!!!

 

Deb

You are going to be grandma again! How many will you have than 5 or 6? I have 5 right now.

What a cute picture! Did yall go find that camel or did you have the piture??? Love it!!!

 

What is your last week of working??

 

Deb

Happy last first day of school! LOL

I didn't realize that about health insurance until I started posting on this site. Mine is already high (500) for my husband and me. But I do know having to go out and get health insurance it would be a ton more. I get to keep my husband without doing the cobra. Yea, joys of aging....just as long as we can jeep cruising!!!;)

 

Deb

Health insurance is another factor in the game. Right now I pay $330 a month for Kevin and I. Although Kevin is disabled, he only gets hospitalization free. Doctor visits and meds cost more so it is cheaper to carry him through my insurance. A couple of years ago, the Archdiocese of Washington, DC said that spouses could only be covered if they could not get coverage through their own work. We have not been hospitalized in 8 years but we do have a lot of doctor visits and meds. We have enough medical to claim it on our taxes. I could carry the insurance until 65 if I retired but I would have to pay the total cost which is about $700 a month.

Like I said, I would like to work part time in one of the Catholic schools when I retire but I can't collect my pension and work for them. I can sub but that is not steady. I will do something to pay for supplemental insurance.

Gee, a lot of people here dislike working. I'm a financial planner, age 60.5 who plans on working for quite a few more years. Too many benefits to give it up. Props to those who have achieved retirement, however, if that's your dream. I'm sort of living my dream right now. I don't know what I'd do if I didn't work.

Like other people said already, you will know when you are ready. I am not ready yet either. At one point, I thought I would retire at 62 but I reached that point this past Feb. and I am not ready. Financially, 66 is better right now. I want to keep my health insurance for a while because it is cheaper than buying a supplement which we will have to do. I am making great money and hitting a streak of small classes (18 last year and 16 this year). I love teaching and I don't want to just sit. I would work part time but I can't do that in the AOW and collect my pension. So off to work I go. Actually, I get excited to go back around this time of year. I will be going in today to start to unpack my room.

Great to hear you are retiring soon!! I have a friend I cruise with because our DH's don't like it. They would rather hunt and fish. But you need to do what is best for YOU. This is your retirement too, not just your DH. Just MHO. Whatever you do.. enjoy it!!!! Deb

 

Debbie, where did you go on your last cruise and which cruiseline? We are 6 days from being diamond on RCCL.

I live near Colesville. Depending on time of day it can take from 30 to 90 minutes for my 12.5 mile commute, since i may hit every stoplight on New Hampshire Avenue. I leave for the office at 5:30 for a fairly consistent 40 minute trip. if i leave at 7am its usually over an hour. of course i wont need to worry about that in 10 weeks when i retire.

If you are driving into DC down New Hampshire Ave., you do have a commute with traffic. I live about two miles from the school that I work at but I have to cross 29 at University Blvd. which can get tied up at times. I usually leave at 6:45 so that I can work in my room for an hour before the kids come in. I like to leave at 3:30 once all the kids leave. My husband was in sales and he drove all over Maryland and Virginia.

I went on a cruise!!! Fun, fun, fun. We booked another one today...I really think I'm addicted...but what a great addiction..lol

 

But back to reality here, school starts next week so I will need to figure out how many hump days I really have left. It starts on Thursday so I don't have to count next week.;)

 

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I have to be back for meetings the week of August 18 and school starts the week after that. Our smartboards are not here yet. They will probably come in the middle of Sept.

10 more hump days for me! And I am using my accrued vacation time with a week off this month, and a cruise to Bermuda next month, and every friday off until October.

 

DH and I live 12 miles from the Capital in Dc - I HATE the traffic, hate the cost of living, hate the taxes on our home...I really want to move to Delaware, which has many economic and other advantages for seniors, but DH is not willing to move. He did, however, suggest I look for a smaller vacation home there. Crazy but i am probably buying a house near my best friend who moved to my desired area in southern Delaware. then i will be splitting my time between Maryland with my DH and the more relaxed environment i want to live in near Bethany Beach. Fortunately we can afford both...and i am praying DH decides he wants to sell our big suburban home and move to DE. He does love fishing, so there is hope!

 

needless to say, this retirement planning period has been very stressful. over the years i have frequently vacationed with my BF since DH doesn't like traveling much. After 44 years together it kind of tough to still be facing these challenges.

but I've learned to appreciate our differences and celebrate the good things.

I do envy those cruising couples who both share a love for travel.

Where in Maryland do you live? I live in Silver Spring. The traffic is bad around here but my husband and I are early morning risers so we do everything in the morning. I like it here better than Wisconsin which is where we came from 27 years ago.

I have friends that moved to North Carolina 10 years ago. They retired and are moving back to Wisconsin to be near their kids.

I have one daughter here with two children but I have two sons in two different states with children. So we divide our time between cruising and visiting family.

After this cruise, we will be diamond finally!

Went to Giovanni's Table for lunch (less cost). Park Café is a must for lunch or try the Dog House or Sorrentos. For breakfast, you can do the character breakfast in the dining room (must make reservation), Johnny Rockets or in the adult section of the pool (sorry I can't think of its name). We have been on the Allure twice and have hit every free eating place. The first time on the Allure we did not eat in the Windjammer. But on our last cruise we actually found it.

I would say check with your doctor and the cruise line like others have said. Plus check you triggers.

My husband has seizures which are not always controlled by meds. They are mostly Todd's (there are all different kinds of seizures) which means he loses control of his hand, leg or speech. It mostly happens when he gets dehydrated. Cruising is great for us because we can always go back to the room to rest and there are always things to drink. We keep our excursions to about 4 hours and try not to overdo. There is always a doctor onboard but we have never used them.

I have seen people with major problems on ships. One man was in a wheelchair that he controlled by breathing into a tube. He was everywhere on the ship and many times by himself.

This is fun, just discovered the 55+ group. I work in a school and will graduate with my 8th graders in June of 2018 (they are in the 5th grade now). DH reminded me that I embraced them when they entered:) kindergarten as "my" class. Seems a long way off but I have started counting down!

Glad to see someone else with my count down. Right now I am saying I will retire in 4 years. We will see how things are. 4 years is a long time and things can change.

We had a teacher that retired from my school 14 years ago at the age of 60.

I saw her a couple of years ago when she was doing a long term subbing job at a workshop. At the beginning of the school year mass (I work in a Catholic school.) at the Shrine in DC, I saw her again. She took the job of a principal at the age of 74. You can never tell what is going to happen.

Sounds great. I had three positions in Education in higher Ed. 18 yrs teaching in community college, 6 yrs teaching teacher education at a public university, and the last 15 as Dir. of Faculty Instructional Technology at a private liberal arts college. So, I had 15 yrs of accumulation at the last job. Like you, no paper grading at the last job, just did workshops for faculty etc.

 

So far with retirement I am filling out insurance transfer forms, etc. Go ahead and cull your email and make lists of people you will want to notify of a new email. I get to keep my Hendrix email so I can leisurely do that. Begin to unsubscribe from email listservs, etc. Will make it easier.

 

 

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I have mainly taught 4th and 5th grade and mainly science. One year I was asked to teach 3rd grade but didn't like it. I have been in the same room for the last 14 years teaching 5th grade for the last 17 years. Actually I was in that room before for 6 years when I taught 4th grade. So in the 26 years I have been in the school, I have been in this room for 20 of the 26 years. Although I clean things out every year, I am slowly getting rid of things that I have not used or giving them to the two young teachers on my floor. That way in 4 years I will not have as much to clean.