I didn't mention this, but....

Good morning, all.  Hope you're having a good weekend and that you're in the part of the country where the weather is more agreeable than the oppressive heat we've had in Kentucky, or the frequent deluges that have caused flooding and other problems.

I enjoyed sharing some of the details of our recent trip to Chicago, and we're still talking about some of what we experienced while we were there.  But the last day before we all traveled back home was my birthday, number 65 to be exact, so I now have a good bit to think about.

I can start taking my Social Security and apply for Medicare right now.  But I would be limited on how much other income I may have until I reach "full" retirement age, as I understand it.  So my plan, for the moment, anyway, is to stick with full-time work until I turn 67, when I will then be able to draw my full benefit AND have the opportunity to earn other income without interrupting or reducing my monthly SS benefit.

Worth mentioning that I didn't work for companies that offered reasonable retirement savings plans until around 1997.  And I lost a large amount of what I had accumulated around the year 2000 in what was commonly termed the "tech bubble," where overvalued company stock plummeted, leaving a good many investors like me with little to show for our 401K deductions and deposits.

So I began accumulating more savings in less risky funds through my various employers.  I don't have a huge amount of money saved but have diligently had money deducted from my paychecks since then.  And to be frank, due to three different situations where I was unexpectedly separated from my positions due to company sales or restructuring, I had to draw from these retirement funds, with tax penalties, to maintain our mortgage and other ongoing financial obligations.  I feel that I made most all of that back, but would have been able to multiply my contributions sooner without these disruptions.

Anyway, this has been a very ever-present subject leading up to and since my milestone birthday.

A good friend had mentioned that she has a co-worker in her organization (which is similar to the one in which I work) who is around my age and was able to work it out to reduce to a part-time work schedule.

Frankly, I would really like that, as I particularly like what I do and feel good about the contribution I make through my work.  But it's too early to try to discuss any of that with my superiors yet.

For now, it seems rational to keep going on my current path, try to avoid any large expenditures, and see where things are in about 23 months.  And let's hope the federal government doesn't do something unfortunate with our aggregate Social Security funds.  It's OUR money, you know!

Hope you have a good week!