Join me in a 2026 retirement countdown

[loveawineloveacrisp]

Next year is the year I'm going to hang up my corporate boots and retire and I can't wait. I'll be 57 and I want to finish just before Christmas, none of that arguing over who's going to cover the Christmas period nonsense.

Not really sure when I should let my boss know. I'm on 3 months notice so I guess that's plenty of time.

Anyone care to join me in a countdown?

@Endlesslywondering that's helpful, thanks. How did your boss react to you giving so much notice? I'm reluctant to do that in case it backfires on me. I've only been in role for 9 months.

Can I join, im hoping to retire April 27, ill be 63 then, but we should have paid off our mortgage and got the house sorted by then. I can't wait. 14 months to go not including January. I can't wait to say its under a year to retirement 😁

Can I join? Planning to retire in June this year, when I'll be 63. I'd originally planned to reduce my hours last year so I could work part time till 2027, but my request was refused. Had enough of working full time so decided to leave this year instead.

25.5 days to go. Still not booked that holiday yet but I’m working on it. However I have paid a deposit for a sibling pair of kittens who are moving in with us in 3 weeks time.

@loveawineloveacrisp, boss appreciated it tbh, gave him time to plan. I had many years service & I had a key role which i knew would take time to recruit into. I also wanted the long runway myself to start changing my mindset & getting used to the reality that I was retiring. It really helped in that when I did retire, I was totally ready.

I'll admit, my motivation had peaks & troughs in the final few months, but that was to be expected & I just accepted it when it happened.

Can I join as well please ☺️. I have today accepted a voluntary redundancy package with a last day of service being the 31st of December. I am very excited but somewhat nervous re the change of mindset from saving money to then spending said savings until state pension kicks in. I am 58 next month and the time just feels right now.

Today has been an utter shitshow of epic proportions, coupled with my end of year review when my boss asked me to detail my plans for development in my role. How the fuck am I going to get through the year.

Answers on a postcard please.

My boss did my performance management review knowing full well the was retiring!

What a waste of time 🙄

Can I join too please?

I told my manager this week that I'm resigning, I'm going to tell my team (I'm head of service) this week. Leave date is a bit uncertain at the moment, likely to be the end of May

I'm 56, I'm going to take my DB pension, take the summer off to recuperate from the toxic and overwhelming environment work has become and then see how I feel. I'm not entirely sure I feel ready to stop but I'll see.

Good luck everyone, we've worked hard for this!

It gets difficult once you've made your mind up to go. It becomes difficult to give a damn!

Well done @Seasidewalker!

I love this thread. I have 2 years and 3 months until retirement so much lonher than all of you. I cannot wait to walk away from teams meetings, coprorate theatrics and deadlines.

Ive just started to think of it in 27 paydays as it seems shorter than way!

The business I have been working at for the last 10 years is a shambles, I have been made redundant and rehired immediately by a different company and had the company change at least 2 other times. My job, the work and the directors are always the same.

The best part is that in all this I have been allowed to wfh, have no real accountability or line manger and have a contract with only 4 weeks notice (should be 3 months)

I started my countdown this time last year when they made the latest change which just upset everyone and made the working environment shit. I have made in through the year, and got my ducks in a row though. Gave my notice last week so come the end of the month I should be free.

They have asked if I can extend my notice, I haven’t said an outright no, but have said I would consider a reduced hours proposal for a short time to help with the handover if they want to put it to me.

I’m 57 and ready to enjoy life and the freedom to travel and plan to do what I want without having to constrain myself to annual leave. DH will continue to work for at least 4 more years but gets a very generous amount of leave and doesn’t have the same restrictions I have had to work with.

@Iwanttogobacktobed- I like that! I have 11 paydays.

Congrats @OllysArmyRidesAgain!

Currently on an early train to London having had very little sleep (I get anxious about traveling these days, even though I used to do it a lot).

Oh well. It's just one day and tomorrow I will be back at my home desk.

I feel your pain @loveawineloveacrisp I hope that your day wasn't too bad and that you got home safely and have recovered.

I wonder how I ever used to do this, daily early commutes, then in the gym at 7.30am three mornings a week. Now I struggle to walk the dog before starting work remotely at 9.30am!

I only go into the office one day a week and that feels like too much.

I'm not sure if it's just my health and energy levels that have changed or if the world is different 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, last working day is looking like 30th April 🥳

To be fair I rarely have to travel, and I WFH fully the rest of the time. It just takes it out of me for the entire week.

30th April - that's really not long 🙂

I've taken voluntary redundancy to coincide with my teacher pension eligibility. July this year is my last teaching month.
I will need something to top up my pension.
I'll be 56. A bit scared but excited too.

14 pay days left for me, I can't wait.

I love this idea!

What a great thread, I'm also going to take on @Jumpingjuly 's counting down the last of things.

Apologies, I'll post about myself once I've read the full thread.

Can I join in please? Although I’m not actually retiring as I’m self employed doing a job I love, my H and I both get our state pensions in November 2026 so it feels like we’re counting down to retirement even though I will go on working until I decide I’ve had enough.

2.5 days for me! Went part time 2 years ago and get my state pension later this year. 🙂

I am thinking of taking part of my pension now and going part time, I am ready to retire but can't yet as I don't really have the funds. But I can't work full time until I am 67, I am already burnt out and exhausted from being the one that carries the family and runs the home and works 2 jobs. I am done.

So I am starting my countdown, 6 paydays to part-time and potentially 12 paydays to leaving my salaried job and semi-retiring (I would still work just in a more relaxed, from home and for myself way).

I have been looking at gyms and at sorting out a space for my hobby

All welcome. Would be nice to count down together.

@Squirrelsnuti retired last July from teaching at 56 and I can honestly say it's the BEST thing I could have done.

I did some online speed awareness work initially but I just didn't like it so I'm doing some ad hoc supply work. It tops up my pension nicely which means I've barely touched my lump sum yet.