Warning: this post may cause a little envy… but only a tiny bit 😏

Doesn't that mean you could only take about £12,500 (personal allowance)from the pension each year without starting to pay tax and have to take the rest from your ISA's?....even if you allow for the 25% tax free drawdown this rate of withdrawal would mean your pension lasted 60 years assuming no capital growth and more likely at least 80 years with growth. Wow you must have good genes to live for that long😂!

How did you retire at 42? I'm 55 and can see no end to the 50 hour weeks I'm doing - just slowing down would be nice.
Hubby pretty much the same and both with chronic conditions.
Genuinely interested in how people stop working at a young age incase it gives me a useful idea.

I was thinking a pension drawdown over that amount would be taxable and that the tax free allowance isn't much to live on a month. No need to be nasty when someone doesn't get it - are you like this with everyone or just those your addressing from behind your keyboard

Sound bliss.

You really love tax don't you! I feel sorry for people like you when you retire and realise your big important job and tax contributions mean very little in the long term. It probably would have been better to all along have been an open-minded person and understand there can be purpose and usefulness in many areas of life. Not tying your self-worth and your estimation of others to a fairly arbitrary system of work and pay that is far from telling you the whole story about a person.

Quoting myself to say that this is just a statement of fact about me, not a suggestion that it's the right way to be. I would like everyone to have a life that reflects what they truly want.

Why would no paid job in a fucked capitalist system mean no identity?

Nope! Over 50 but will be working until I drop !

I am 51 and I do not want to potter or garden or walk the dog (don't have one) or do any more domestic work than the reluctant minimum I currently do. Due to unwise matrimonial and career choices, I'll be working well into my sixties. I'm fine with that, and have my eye on a different role that isn't well paid but appears more enjoyable than my current one. Im hoping to do more travel when dc leaves home, but it will be cheap backpacking and I'm fine with that.

I've been lucky with health so far and I acknowledge that my feelings might change if (well, when) that changes.

I truly admire people who provide care to others.

My partner wants to retire at 62, I'll be 57 at that point. I'm 45 now and my plan is to beef up my savings and take the route of being a freelance h&s trainer in the next few years and slowly start winding back. I have depuytrens in my hands and potentially carpal tunnel in my wrists so full time computer work may not be something I can keep doing for too many more years.

The plan for my partner at retirement is to do more long term travelling - I see a lot of retirees where I live and they don't really go anywhere or do anything and I couldn't sit at home all the time especially through British winter!

My auntie has been a volunteer since she retired around covid time, she was busy helping run vaccine clinics for a while, she volunteered with lung health awareness schemes, she volunteered with brain injured people and now she near enough full time volunteers at a crown court as witness support - a job I can't believe the don't pay people to do. So yes volunteers do need a brain!

My husband is 60 and has retired and I am 51 and privileged enough to be able to go with him! We have an 8yr old daughter so we are incredibly lucky to be able to take her to school and pick her up. My days are filled with dog walks, pottering, reading and doing whatever the hell I want after 35 years of working in charities and for the NHS!

I retired in my late 50s, though I do a bit of consulting work when it comes my way. I spend my time reading, studying languages, going to the theatre, and travelling, so yes, pretty ideal. But…. I also pay taxes on my pensions, which I paid into in 30 years of work, and on my state pension, having contributed through my taxes to other people’s pensions all my working life. I also volunteer in my community. So much happens locally, food banks, cultural societies, U3a, and so much more, that relies on the contribution of volunteers. One local society that I know of recently did their sums. If they had to pay someone to do what the volunteers do, it would cost over £50,000 a year. So being in paid work is not the only way to contribute, not even financially.

I think that's more something for those who choose a life on benefits to feel guilty for rather than people who want their life totally back after years of working.

Ooh yes your life early 60s sounds more like what I’m hoping for. I’m not sure ‘pottering’ and playing with cats would be for me, but time for lots of exercise, long (slightly boozy) lunches or dinners with friends, lots of travel and time spent with family is exactly what I dream of!

I know a few people sho retired early 50s. I don't envy them TBH. Their lives seem quite dull

In my 40s and not carried out any paid work since my late 20s (stopped when I had kids).

Kids school age now but I fill my time when they are at school doing domestic duties, the gym/exercise, voluntary work and seeing friends.

Love the flexibility this life allows me and how I can attend every school event etc plus make life as easy for my husband as possible.

@HoskinsChoice so how much do you work and how much tax do you pay? Are you contributing enough? Do you agree with retirement?

I can agree with lots of that which is why I mention my mil but there are also many things you can do with yout life apart from work for money.

I’m mid-50s but I’m not ready for that yet. I do work part-time and have quite a bit of spare time (am changing jobs soon to less fast paced one when I can work at my own speed).

I was actually worried as I’ll have less social contact in my new job but I’ll probably find a volunteering role as well and join the local gym (5 mins walk) to get out the house. As I get older I do enjoy pottering round the house - I need to sort out drawers, sell stuff on vinted etc.

If you’re not claiming benefits and you live in a household where someone is earning enough money to support you (ie will be paying a fair bit of tax), or you’ve accumulated enough (previously taxed income) to live on I don’t think that’s shameful at all.

whether it’s ’good For you’ not to work is another matter, I think for some it’s a disaster.

This reminds me of one of those ‘nudge ‘ threads- exhort the behaviour you require from the population. It’s not very subtle, in this instance 😄

I had to go back to work as doing nothing all day was pretty bad for my mental health. Coffees and lunches and the gym are fine but eventually it all feels very much empty… working FT now but thinking about dropping to 4 days a week now im established.

Kier Starmer? Get off mumsnet!!

Sounds fantastic to me! If you have the financial means, then why not. Doing what you want when you want is the way to go I reckon. I could definitely fill my time. I’d just do more of what I do at the moment that pleases me. Staying active would be a non negotiable though. I’m sure I would find it very easy not to leave the house for days at a time if I wasn’t strict with myself.