Good for you Turnbull! From a personal standpoint, I can say that I reap some retirement benefits.

My husband retired as a Police Captain after 24 years on the force. Where we live they have a very good police retirement package - 80% of your current salary after 22 years/8 months in the program. He gets a pretty good paycheck for just waking up in the morning, but he has earned it! The benefit also gives him a 3% raise annually for cost of living for the rest of his life (and mine, if he should go before me). The thing he did right here was start in a career early. He was able to retire at age 44 and start another career as a self employed private investigator. As you know, when you are self employed and you have a monthly check coming in, you can basically make your own hours or quit anytime you want to so his stress level has definitely come down!!

As for myself, I work for the same municipality but for civilians, our retirement sucks - 25 years at 65%. I only have 10 1/2 years in and I don't want to be working this hard past 50.

I'll probably work until my daughter is out of high school (5 years). Maybe through college, depending. There is a chance the civilian plan will change to 25 years/75%. In my case, that still doesn't justify my working until I am 55. My husband is free to live his life and travel and do fun stuff - why should he have all the fun without me?

Oh, because he EARNED it!!!