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At what age do you think you will retire?

Asked at Massachusetts Street on July 28, 2011

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Photo of David Wasescha

“I’d like to think 60.”

— David Wasescha, microbiology major, Lawrence

Photo of Riley Wertenberger

“Fifty-five.”

— Riley Wertenberger, microbiology major, Lawrence

Photo of Cindy Fritschen

“I would say around 65.”

— Cindy Fritschen, dental assistant, Lawrence

Photo of Joe Fritschen

“Probably 70.”

— Joe Fritschen, 7th grader, Lawrence

Comments

ku_law 6 years, 8 months ago

First. Won't.

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Linda Endicott 6 years, 8 months ago

A reduced lifestyle and freedom?

Reduced from what? I can't reduce my lifestyle from what it is now, or I'd be dead anyway...it has nothing to do with me feeling like I can't be replaced...of course I can be replaced...there are all kinds of people now just waiting in the wings for something to go wrong so they can replace me...

I've always known I was no more than a replaceable part at my job...

I don't have enough money to have any other kind of life...and will have to work until the day I die, if I want to have a place to live at all, or eat at all...not everyone has extra money...I sure don't...

So...no retirement...just keep working until I die or until they decide I can no longer work and then I'll probably end up in a home somewhere...

If I can afford it...if not...

I guess I can always find a shade tree somewhere...

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cooltrix 6 years, 8 months ago

I'm semi retired now at 31. I'm sure once the little ones are bigger, I'll go back to working full time but for now I'm enjoying them!

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Bill Lee 6 years, 8 months ago

I retired at 64, but I'd rather be working.

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Bill Lee 6 years, 8 months ago

I keep pretty busy with the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, but I spend too much time alone instead of with other people. Even working in an isolated field like radio, I had co-workers. Most of my conversations these days are with check out clerks at grocery stores.

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TopJayhawk 6 years, 8 months ago

I'm gone at 62. Don't care if I have to live under a bridge.

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sr80 6 years, 8 months ago

Sorry jaybird, I have dibs on both the downtown bridges,your goin have to find your own !!!

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RoeDapple 6 years, 8 months ago

The first time I was 53. Full benefit plus health ins. Got bored. Second time, 56. Third time, 60. Now at 63 am considering finding part-time work. Online editor-in-charge of the disapearededed button still available?

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jonas_opines 6 years, 8 months ago

That's a full time job. Are you ready for that kind of commitment?

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LadyJ 6 years, 8 months ago

Hubby took early retirement at 55 so I probably won't be able to afford to retire until 70.

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cato_the_elder 6 years, 8 months ago

The young people answering this question may not be able ever to retire. The tax burden that liberal politicians in both national political parties have already inflicted on them is staggering. Profligate spending by governments at all levels must be stopped, and stopped now.

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Carol Bowen 6 years, 8 months ago

I don't think so. Being able to retire depends more on the personal discipline to not overspend. So many people have incredible debt loads, because they have not lived within their means. Can't blame that on the government.

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cato_the_elder 6 years, 8 months ago

You can if they're so confiscatorily taxed at all levels that they'll have to work their entire lives, which was my point.

I strongly agree with your other statements, by the way.

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Kendall Simmons 6 years, 8 months ago

Uh...Cato? Hear_me said that you can't blame the government for people having incredible debt loads because they haven't lived within their means.

What on earth do 'confiscatory taxes' have to do with running up huge debts because you choose not to live within your means????

Surely you aren't trying to claim "the mean old government taxed me so much that I had to max out my credit cards. How else could I get my 65" 3-D TV and my 3,000 pairs of shoes?"

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cato_the_elder 6 years, 8 months ago

If profligate spending by governments at all levels isn't curtailed, people won't have the ability to live beyond their means. They'll be paying all of their disposable income in taxes. It's really not that difficult to understand. Many young people are extremely concerned about it, and should be. If you don't care about their futures, that's your business.

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Trouble 6 years, 8 months ago

Never, not by my choice... but by our government... they have screwed thing up for the American People!! So who can afford to retire?.

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just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 years, 8 months ago

The rich say we're broke, so the poor and middle class can no longer retire.

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bickpaul11 6 years, 8 months ago

I won't want to retire. My plan is to retire from my job and open a breakfast taco stand somewhere near the beach in Florida. I'd get to see an ocean sunrise, and then hit the beach once I left the office. Score!

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bickpaul11 6 years, 8 months ago

I agree Key West is awesome. Marathon isn't too bad either.

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Terry Sexton 6 years, 8 months ago

Excellent idea, G! Yogi Bear the corn from somebody's field. I know it's not nice but it would add a certain flair to the story.

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average 6 years, 8 months ago

I'm not opposed to working till I'm 70, should I live that long.

Unfortunately, the real issue is that if you lose a job over 55, you have a under-50/50 chance of ever finding full-time work again. Thus, I'm saving like mad for an early retirement and not 'stimulating the economy'.

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labmonkey 6 years, 8 months ago

The seventh grader has the most realistic answer. As for myself, I will have to cross that bridge when I get there (I have 27 years to go before I can maximum pension). I will work in some capacity even if I can to afford to fully retire. I have no real hobbies except working out (maybe open a gym in a small town?), and I have seen too many people with nothing to do wither away quickly after they retire. Perhaps New Zealand can use someone with mine and my wife's talents.

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labmonkey 6 years, 8 months ago

Bozo-

You have to actually work and not sponge off the taxpayer to actually retire.

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just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 6 years, 8 months ago

Aside from jumping to strawman conclusions, what's your point?

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Gene Wallace 6 years, 8 months ago

Worked from 16 to 62 with wages taxed for my Social Security. I'm Not living off of the tax payers, I'm living off 46 years worth of my wages being taxed. We will have other, taxed, income from on-line businesses. but, we work for ourselves while RV Living on America's roads. The escape happens in less than 5 weeks!!!

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RoeDapple 6 years, 8 months ago

jonas_opines (anonymous) replies… "That's a full time job. Are you ready for that kind of commitment?"

Could I do it from home? Some folks think I'm online 24/7 anyway. (close!)

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labmonkey 6 years, 8 months ago

So you would streak a few agar plates with her?

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Kendall Simmons 6 years, 8 months ago

And I am incredibly sick and tired of this "you old farts screw over younger people who really need the work" nonsense.

Believe it or not, younger people get to apply for the same jobs as we old farts do...the jobs you think we're "stealing" from them...and vice versa.

If we get some of those jobs, there's a reason...and it's not that the boss hates younger people. Wow...a business hires someone they believe is the best person for the position. Gasp! What a terrible concept!

We used to have to listen to the "Yes, I know you were more qualified, but I gave the job/raise to him because he's a man and has a family to support, while you're just a woman" garbage.

Today, your old vs. young nonsense is the same type of garbage thinking. You've simply changed your desired entitlement...and, yes, you are guilty of entitlement thinking...to "younger workers".

Look. There is NOT a finite number of jobs in this country. The old do not have to retire to open positions for younger people because there are no jobs available for those younger people otherwise. And we do not have a "jobs cap" where we can't create a single additional job without the approval of Congress.

There are millions of jobs in this country going begging because there aren't any qualified or willing-to-relocate applicants. Sure...let's blame that on the old farts. There are millions of jobs in this country being filled by illegal workers because our own citizens won't do the work. Yup...that's us old farts' fault, too.

Like it or not, the "old" are just as entitled to work as the young. We don't have to give up our jobs because a younger person needs a job or wants our job. Nor do we have to work at the same job forever.

Frankly, I find it odd that people like you argue against early retirement/retirement jobs. Heck...the jobs we retire from tend to be better-paying jobs than the retirement jobs we take. That leaves those better-paying jobs we retired from open to younger workers to apply for. You have a problem with that...why??? You think that our working in those jobs for another 5-10-15 years helps younger workers...how???

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Deja Coffin 6 years, 8 months ago

Is a mother's job ever really done? Just teasing, hopefully I'll get to retire when I'm 60 so I'll still be young enough to enjoy it.

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dogsandcats 6 years, 8 months ago

At this rate, I will die at work.

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FlintlockRifle 6 years, 8 months ago

Was 59 , and that was 16 years ago======FUN THING TO DO, go as quick as you can and don't tell antone for a least two years so you can have some time for yourself

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notanota 6 years, 8 months ago

I don't want to retire. I want some time wiI want to go on a few vacations before my hip breaks and my knees are arthritic. I want to stop doing the job I'm doing right now and find a new career or start a hobby business for fun without worrying how I'll feed myself or pay the mortgage if it folds. That's what retirement means to me. I'm concerned that health costs will make that impossible. And my eligibility for SS has already been bumped to 67. I'll be pissed if it gets bumped to 70. That's a bunch of BS right there.

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somedude20 6 years, 8 months ago

depends as there are a few choices. a) retirement by natural death b) retirement by self assisted death c) or just robbing a bank and getting free hots and cots (mail call) plus free medical care because they way the econ is going now, there will be no financial retirement for many of us!

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yourworstnightmare 6 years, 8 months ago

Remind me to not hire any KU microbiology graduates.

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Carol Bowen 6 years, 8 months ago

Statistically, people are living longer. Congress has noticed. However, living longer does not mean living in good health. It's great to have dreams and ambition, but your health may not last. Some people have a hard time making into their 60's and working full time. Go ahead, set a target, but be ready to adapt if necessary.

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notanota 6 years, 8 months ago

Actually, statistically we're no longer living longer. The US life expectancy is shrinking.

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Carol Bowen 6 years, 8 months ago

Geez. Can't keep up with the trends. What's causing this?

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Ron Holzwarth 6 years, 8 months ago

I had a great uncle that retired from the Air Force after 20 years. He and his wife saved their money while he was in the service, and bought a home that served their needs quite well after he retired from the Air Force. They were able to live quite well on his 20 year service pension.

Several people told him that he should get another job and work until he was 65, so that he would have more money. He always refused, claiming that he preferred to enjoy life right now.

And then, when he turned 65, he died.

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average 6 years, 8 months ago

Sorry, but the kid is not realistic.

Sure, you may very well want to work to 70 when you're 60. Hundreds of thousands of 60-somethings do and could. You may feel that 'you really need to'. But the vast majority get shoved out of their jobs in their early 60s and are never able to land anything else.

So, you're most likely 'getting retired' in your early 60s, whether you like it or not, whether it means a cat-food retirement or not, so you had better make plans and adjust your lifestyle goals around that probability, not on some dream that you'll be able to keep work to 70.

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rhd99 6 years, 8 months ago

The way the economy is going right now, AFTER I establish my new career, I can't imagine that I would retire before 80, if EVER!

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Nellane Laney Croan Stussie 6 years, 8 months ago

You are probably more accurate that you might imagine!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/03/us/politics/03spend.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

“Both the government and its debts will continue to grow faster than the American economy, primarily because the new law does not address federal spending on health care.”

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