I'm really torn as to what is the right thing to do here. Would love opinions.
Been with DH for 17 years. He works in a high stress, life or death job, and to be honest, he is close to burn out. It's shift work. He is knackered most of the time. He would like to retire at 55, which is about 2.5 years away.
He would have a lump sum to invest, of circa £72k. But his monthly income from his pension would only be £900pm.
I am going to draw my pension at the same time as him (I'm older). This is a pension I had from an employed position for 27 years, but I am self employed now and will carry on working.
My lump sum, plus other stuff coming to fruition in a couple of years, will mean that by then, I should have £165k lump sum, which I plan to put into NS&I. My pension income will be £1000pm, which I will feed into the NS&I.
My self employed business brings in around £2500-£4000 a month (seasonal).
Our household bills will be £500pm, plus food and alcohol, so about £1000 a month. No commuting, as I WFH, and mortgage will be finished.
So, my question is, even though we have never combined finances, should I support us both with the income from my business?
On the one hand, I feel that if he paid half of the bills, then he would probably have to put in £500pm, only leaving him £400pm left to play with, and this might push him back into work (which I definitely don't want), on the other hand, would I be crazy to pay all the bills from my ongoing self employed business?
I should add, that my business is not hard work particularly, and with him at home, and helping me with it, I would feel semi retired myself.
I feel like I can't see the wood for the trees.
A - he should retire and your business should cover all bills & food
B - he should contribute
Another salient point, is that he is due to inherit substantially in the future. At which point we could go back to 50/50, but this won't be for many years yet (by the looks of things).
Lastly, we do not share children. Mine are grown and flown. He has none.