Offered a great job at nearly 60 and unsure whether to retire or take it, please come and tell me what you'd do, especially if you're in your 50s!

[Strawberriesandcaviar]

I'd love to know how others have handled this and would very much welcome some perspectives, so please post even if you disagree with me or have another POV, thank you.

I've been working for years and I'm good at my job but don't love it. Neither do I hate it and most days I enjoy it. I'm well paid and work remotely.

I'm 60 next year and my dilemma is this:

I've just been offered a well paid job and I'm torn between

1. Accepting it and working another few years, 5 maybe and
2. Saying "life's too short" and turning it down

If I turn it down I will stay up late, get up late, read loads, see films, spend more time with friends, visit my adult children who live a few hours away, maybe travel a bit. In other words, relax for the first time in 40+ years.

DH would be working though so I'd do it alone. We would also have a lot less money but we could cut back though and it would be fine.

If I turn it down I'll be unlikely to get another job (at 60+) so that will be it.

What did you feel about work in your late 50s?
What would you / did you do?
Did it work out?
Do you wish you'd retired earlier?

One friend said "you'd be a moron to turn it down" as it is loads of money and I like the people. So it's a WWYD.

Thanks for any and all views.

Would you able to work part time?

Is there any flexibility with the role, long hours, travelling?

I’d accept the job, but with a delayed start if possible, if you could have a month off that would give you time to mooch about a bit and visit the adult children. If at the end of the month you’re not excited by the forthcoming job and really don’t want to stop mooching then you don’t have to.

Take the job and give it a few years. That's what I did two years ago when I turned 60. No regrets. I like the people and I like having money. The job is fine, low stress compared to my last one, and that's OK.

I’m definitely going to draw my Work pension at 60 because it’s pointless leaving at any later but I very much doubt I will be ready to retire as it’s only three years away and I still feel like I’m in my 30s🤣 I would do it ultimately you can decide a few months or years down the line that you’ve had enough? Bank the money ready for those travels that you intend to do😊😊

Take the job, without question. You are only turning 60! Do it for a few years, then retire &
have all that time yo yourself.

Assuming you are in good health, 60 is very young to be deciding on retirement with (hopefully) many more years ahead for great opportunities.

I was made redundant earlier this year after 17 years with the same company. I am 62 today and started in a new role last week. I love working so retirement was never on the cards for me. However, I am targeting contract roles so I can review my options every 12 months or so. At the moment I intend to work until I am 70.

I’m 60 next year and have just taken a promotion at work meaning more money but a lot more responsibility. It was a no brainier for me as I live alone so would be kicking my heels on my own while all my friends were working.

On the basis that all the women in my family seem to live well into their 90s, there will be plenty of time to enjoy retirement later on. I’m squirrelling money away into my pension and savings for that very purpose.

I would take it.

I did this - but negotiated very reduced hours - so a 2.5 day week. It worked for both of us as they got my experience on the cheap and I had time to do more of what I wanted. Eventually though (I'm 63 this year) even 2.5 days started to feel like an imposition so I'm giving up completely this year. I found it wasn't the job as much as the politics around it I just couldn't deal with any more.

I'd take it, it sounds like you'd enjoy it.

When is DH due to retire?

If you working a couple of years means DH can retire around the same time then I would do that. Also if it can be done less than full time I would probably give it a try.
(I retired at 55, DH is older and we could afford it. It was the right answer for us)

Id take it. Just because you take it doesn’t mean you can’t leave until retirement age. You can leave whenever you want. Focus on building some savings from it, look to go part time in a year or so etc. then plan your retirement

Take the job. It sounds perfect for you.

Thats on the assumption that (a) you have no health concerns, (b) you can resign when you want rather than having to be there for 5 years.

You’ll regret it if you don’t.

eta - I am the same age as you

Keep ypur options open.

I'd take the job, you've got the option of quitting at any time. What im doing is, after years of thinking id quit as soon as I could, dropping a day a week. So I've got long weekends and more flexibility, which is what I want, also taking some unpaid leave. Im 58...and doing this I'll probably carry on working till 64...and have s year of stuff I want to do before dh retires.

Also I'm paid well and tne money is nice. If it gets too awful I'll quit.

I'd take the job and save as much as possible so that my husband and I could retire together a bit earlier. I'd also spend money on outsourcing jobs I didn't like (cleaning etc) so that my life was easier day to day.

I got offered a promotion at work recently but turned it down as I am firmly in the I am retiring at 60 next year camp and nothing would intise me to stay
You don't sound like you are in this camp so I would take the job. If it doesn't work out you can retire as originally planned you have nothing to lose

I’m only 50 and might feel differently in a decade but I’d take it for a few years. Three wouldn’t be too soon to leave it. Five or six is ideal. Most people I know who “retired” at sixty went into bank or freelance stuff so still worked a bit till 65/66 at least.
when will your DH retire?

Unless you've got a huge pension pot take it. Also l, it's amazing how quickly you miss having a regular deposit in your bank account. Knowing that you can walk away is also a help (especially when ignoring the office politics).

Loads of money and nice people is the definition of perfect job for most of us.

I think I'd give it and go and see if you enjoy it! If you do for six months or so and decide you don't like it, well you'll still be in the position of being able to retire and with a bit more in the pot. Seems worth having a go at it.

Try it, what have you got to loose?

if, like me, you are still working post retirement age because I really love my job and the people with whom I work, you don’t pay NI and can defer your state pension for increased pension when you do take it.

It’s ok to take it, try it for a few months and see if you like it. It will be YOUR LAST JOB so you don’t need a reference, you no longer need good will or to schmooze.

Take it, try it, dump it if it doesn’t suit you.

When can you get your state pension? is it late 60s? If this job will top up your work pension even more, then I'd say take the job. You could cut your hours for the last two or three years before fully retiring when your state pension becomes available.

I’m reading this, age 61, on a solo minibreak (sat outside in the Tate members’ restaurant overlooking St Pauls). A couple of ladies a bit older than me have cracked open a bottle of wine with their soup! Solo travel/leisure doesn’t bother me (I have no immediate caring resp as daughter at Uni and parents are no longer here). DH has sorted carers for his parents (but still needs to spend a lot of time there). He plans to work another 4 or 5 years. I’ve done a few charitable trustee roles, but have retired those for now.

Early retirement works for me, but it doesn’t for everybody. DH would have tolerated, even enjoyed some of my itinerary this week (the ballet might have tested him).

If you enjoy the challenge of work/new role, and the money will come in useful, take the job and see how it goes.

I am very conscious that a big chunck of my/DH’s pension pot will go in inheritance tax if I don’t use it/pass it on.