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To: jcon40
I'll be 70 in August. I just retired. I hardly feel "elderly". My homes and cars are paid off. No debt. Adequate retirement income. I can finally enjoy doing things that I always put off to make sure the customers were happy. It's my turn to be happy and not be concerned about customer deadlines or problems. My perception of "elderly" is 80+ in frail condition. Just as there was a "boom" in births, there will be a "boom" on the death side of the ledger. There will also be a "boom" in declining tax revenues as the high earners retire.
8 posted on 02/19/2026 5:40:31 PM PST by Myrddin
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To: Myrddin

I am 88 yrs. old. I have a bank account, no debts, drive an old car & am widowed. I live as cheaply as possible & am anxious for little. I do miss some of my older passions such as motorcycling, but realize what it could mean at my age, so I don’t really miss it a lot. I live simply & am not anxious for much, but look forward to the day when I meet my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ & all that will mean. Old age can mean that you don’t worry so much for things that used to concern you deeply.


74 posted on 02/19/2026 7:11:11 PM PST by oldtech
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To: Myrddin
There will also be a "boom" in declining tax revenues as the high earners retire.

Not sure about that, once the widow's (widower's) penalty kicks in. With my mom's passing, my dad's FOUR taxes are going up nearly 50% (Fed tax, state tax, loss of $6,000 BBB senior exemption, higher Medicare costs) combined with lower standard deduction and higher single-person tax tables.

A big hit is the increasing fully taxable RMD for successful IRA investments that should have been put in Roth IRAs rather than traditional IRAs. Oh well...

83 posted on 02/19/2026 7:28:13 PM PST by The Truth Will Make You Free ( )
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To: Myrddin

I echo your perception of elderly. I’m almost 72, and I certainly don’t feel “elderly”. Once I reach 80 (God willing), I will re-asses.


93 posted on 02/19/2026 7:45:19 PM PST by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: Myrddin

“I’ll be 70 in August. I just retired. I hardly feel “elderly”. “

Good for you man, that is truly great to hear! I’m in my mid 50s, active, and still working and SAVING! I do want to make sure I have enough go-go years to enjoy in retirement; a topic a dwell on more and more as the years go by.

I’m targeting 66/67 timeline, especially having a wife that’s a few years younger than I. Were anyone to view me as having a net worth that seems larger than most, that was by design; I worked and saved consistently over a 28 year career - EVERY paycheck!

The goal should be to have the needed wealth to live and enjoy as you please, while having ZERO reliance on the Social Security scheme. If it’s still there, it’s the proverbial cherry on the cake!

Enjoy your retirement freedom FRiend!


101 posted on 02/19/2026 8:15:40 PM PST by Bshaw
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