Pension changes

Starfleet has, as many if its fellow large corporations, been reviewing its pension provision, and some while back came to the conclusion that their offering was too expensive for them.  This left them with only two choices:

• raid the pension fund, buy an island off of Africa and retire as a recluse there for the rest of their natural lives
• close the pension scheme, and replace it with the sustainable version where the employee, me, carry the highs and lows of the market and get what they get on the day of retirement.

Today was an important part of this painful process for me.  I had a meeting with an "independent financial advisor" who, in fairness, was independent, and did provide advice of sorts, and he has helped me with the decision I have to make before January 17th, a decision I have now made.  I have picked the simple option.

Anyway, what I really wanted to mention is the fact that, if I so desired, I could take early retirement in as little as nine years' time.  

Now when the hell did I get so old?

I still feel about, well, let's not exaggerate, but I could probably still claim something in the twenties. 

The truth is that I have a relatively young family, so would need to stay working until I am sixty-three before the youngest has finished University.  If he decides he wants to be a vet, or a doctor, then hell's teeth I can add another three or four years to that.  

So I may well end up taking a middle line.  There are a couple of insurance policies and other potential sources of lump-sum-income, such as the Lottery (which I must start doing to marginally increase my chances of winning) may play their part in helping me plan the day that I cash in my chips, buy a camper van, and travel Europe for a half year or more with my beloved LO.  

I am reminded of something my mum said to me on my graduation day.  She is pretty straight, and maybe even excessively blunt at times, but this is something to which I was and am happy to live, and is also something I will be sharing with my spawn at the right time.  

She looked me in the eye, and said "son, go out in to the world, and do whatever you want, but don't cost me a penny."

Not a bad way to end the "costly phase" as it became known.