Walt from IN posted over 6 years ago:

In my case, the decision to retire early was predicated on a set of family circumstances where my father and one of his brothers both died in their mid-forties. Little did I know that the third brother would live to be 97! Here I am at almost 81, but enjoying my 25yr long retirement so far.

Walt from IN posted over 6 years ago:

What I failed to mention in my previous post is that my health is excellent, and that both that third brother (my uncle) and I are/were non-smokers whereas my father the the other brother were not.

Jorge from FL posted over 6 years ago:

The type of work you do is just as important as your health history when considering an early retirement. I have been a shift worker for the last 35 years, and it has definitely negatively impacted my health. That is why I will probably retire at 65 years old even though I make a very good income and would prefer retiring at 70.

BARRY J from TX posted over 2 years ago:

A nice, quick read. However (and it’s a dreaded passive-aggressive academic “however”), I expect most AAII members will not get much value from reading this article. We do not share many of the environmental factors of being born and raised in Scotland – climate, the quality of [state-run] medical care, social norms about alcohol consumption, smoking, marriage, etc. I noticed very little data on genetic and demographic factors (gender, race, etc.) that have been shown to have a significant influence on age and on the variables this study did focus on – adolescent cognitive ability and “retirement type” which seems to be defined in a very limited context of voluntary or mandatory. I look forward to learning more from one of the “related” articles that seems to support my observations, “Retirement Readiness Is Being Assessed in the Wrong Manner.” If you want to learn more about yourself, I strongly recommend you read Part V: “Two Selves” in “Thinking Fast and Slow” (2011) by Nobelist Dan Kahneman which clearly, and entertainingly, explains that we all have "two selves," a “experiencing self” and a “remembering self,” that remember your life experiences in different ways (Chapter 35). It also helps you understand more about how you remember life. Chapter 36, “Life is a Story,” Chapter 37 “Experienced Well-Being,” and Chapter 38, “Thinking About Life” will get you the answers you need to understand how and why we all look back at life differently than we think we do. All those chapters add up to 31 pages. It’s a 1-2-hour read (or one crowded airplane ride where you might need a distraction) that will change the way you or don’t understand how you view your life. Amazon wants $20, but you can get a used one for under $10 anywhere.