| Author | Message | ||
     Etennuly |
I know several of the BadWeB family have retired from their life's profession over the past few years. I know it has hit some of you squarely in the happy bone! It is truly great to see. I know many have worked a long time for one company where you had benefits and time off along the way. Most importantly you enjoyed what you did and whom you did it for. As an independent spirit, not always intentionally, I ended up self employed for nearly 30 of my working years. As such, retirement is an outsourced purchase, or an intrinsic part of one's business portfolio. It's funny but it is not, how as an employer you pay into SSI matching each employee contribution, and for your own you pay the best accountant you can afford to limit income tax paid on yourself. Legal, smart, good business plan, but SSI is not an independent solution to retiring especially in some lean years, without contributing. Out sourced retirements are disiminated at the mercy of time. Auto dealerships are by most standards, a shaky place to stake a retirement fund. They tend to follow a pattern if large enough. All is stable for decades until the owners age brings him down. His first born usually steps up to command the show in their mid forties. That is when they realize the old man did not do them any favors giving them houses and ten years of art degrees. So they get run amuck by the old man's competitors to be taken over. Of course the first thing that mysteriously disappears is the cash heavy retirement funds. I've seen that happen several times , in several places in my career in the bodyshops. That got my first build up of retirement fund cash. Bernie Madoff got round two as a buddy and I invested heavily in an independent firm's retirement high yield investments. We did so to make up for the first loss. Then came, with experience, investing in my self. Self employed for seven years I decided to buy land. This, where I could build value in it towards a more defended retirement. Of course I made my big move, went all in, just a year before 9/11. All of my truck body repair customers either filed bankruptcy or just backed off to nothing. Tough times. Borrowed to keep employees paid while I waited accounts receivables. After a few years of digging and fighting to survive my business started to recover. This was about when I bought my Ulysses and met you all on the net and at Two in N. Georgia. So I started to invest mightily in my property with the intent to pay it off in ten years so I could sell it to retire after twenty years. Not. In steps the Rail Road. They come in two months before my last mortgage payment saying they are buying the whole valley. WTF! Once they committed we were to be Out in six months. They killed my customer base when they went public. So I became dependent on their purchase to move forward. The economy of the Obamanation stalled their plans, but had killed my business. Forward several more years RR still looming. So I change my business plan. With ageing I needed to not be in the shop working on trucks , but there are no employees in our area to get to do the work so I'm out of that part of my business, mostly. Next adjustment. Since the RR bought most of the surrounding properties, instead of selling it for a profit , our position now is that we are stuck with it. No one seems to want land the RRhas ropes attached to. So being stuck, my work plan had to change. Next up, change business fro.m repair to sales. A dealership license requirement went to a whole new set of rules to be governed by. Physcal juxtaposition to the proper highway access, made moving our moblehome necessary. Something the to be ex poopooed as soon as she discussed it with her un-involved, not invested, family and friends. So with bad advice and biased opinions I became unable to alter my business plan, ergo became stuck on my own property. This kind of ignorance could even be a leading cause of divorce. Over the years I have aged enough, and have acquired enough injury to have become physically legally disabled to the point I can get a job elsewhere, but not maintain it due to constraints that are real or imagined. Self employed to SSI disability is a tough nut, and also does not pay well enough. If supplemented by what I sometimes make they will take it all back any ways. Long story on a friend with mutual circumstance proved this theory correct. So again, running without a net. Retirement early as planned did not work. Original plan would have been at 58. Three plans later at 62.5 no viable plan to retire. But again altering my work plan to survive. I give you plan number 5;  | ||
| Ourdee |
Pretty much burnt this body up to get here. Gone through years of spittin' up blood. The joints that aren't bone on bone are about shot..... I am blessed. I didn't get as rich as I could have. But, I stayed out of jail. I wake most mornings breathing well enough to know what side of the grass I'm on. I piddle around thinking about the next Buell event I'll get to. There always seems to be more than enough food. My wife still loves me and it has been a while since I felt the dog's teeth. I could complain about what I don't like. But that isn't profitable. I am blessed! Vern, You going traveling? | ||
| Etennuly |
Going to work in my next stage, in my own damned truck! My DOT. My Authority. I tried driving for others but even after explaining before, during, and after hiring that I can lift no more than 50 lbs due to back surgery and spinal chord damage, they put me in situations consistently lifting and moving 70+ pounds. | ||
| Sifo |
There was a time that I was wondering what direction to head my life. I seriously looked into your "plan 5". The wife wasn't having it. Right now, I'm basically semi-retired. Summers off is nice. I close on a new property Monday. I'm hoping to die in that house. Hopefully not too soon. Once we get the current house sold and stabilize our finances, it will be time to have a sit down with our financial adviser to see exactly where we stand after this transaction. I'm hoping to fully retire after this school season. We'll see. Damned if my mind doesn't go straight to "what can I do to make money on MY terms". In the short term though, I'll have at least 2 summers worth of projects to get the new place the way I want it. No doubt, many things didn't go according to the plan. I'd say we've been lucky with how things have shaken out for us though. Good luck with your plan 5. Staying local or seeing the country? | ||
| Buellerxt |
Whoa, sorry Vern. I sure hope plan 5 is THE plan that gets you where you want to be. Best of luck. | ||
| Etennuly |
Trying to stay on day or overnight runs until divorce is over. Then who knows. I've tasted road life doing hotshot then later box truck. Having a sleeper will be a good thing. | ||
| Pwnzor |
You got your own trailer as well? | ||
| Etennuly |
Running power only for now. If something good pops up it could happen. Do not want the wrong trailer for what I want to run. | ||
| Tootal |
Well that's certainly nicer than the truck you drove to Buelltoberfest! Nicer sleeping arrangements too! It does suck to see how you've been dealt from a marked deck. I hope this adventure pays and paves your way to retirement! Good luck buddy! | ||
| Ratbuell |
Needs a coat of Barricade Orange...  | ||
| Ourdee |
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| Crusty |
Yeah; it already has a Big Ass Windshield! | ||
| Glitch |
Retirement is cool and all. But I don't care for the way I got here. You'll be fine Vern, I believe in you. Well said Crusty! | ||
| Crusty |
I'm one of those who loves being retired. I haven't responded to this thread because I don't want to make anyone feel bad. However, even loving retirement, there is a price to pay. I'm on a strict budget; I've had to put off buying a new bike for a few years and I haven't made my trip to the Arctic Ocean yet. Almost all my furniture is gifts from friends and I seldom go out for a meal. No matter what you decide to do, there's always a price that comes with it. When I was still happily married, we would have our Income Taxes figured by an Accountant. The cost was offset by the large increase in our tax return. The Accountant had his retirement plan centered around driving a truck across the country for a few years and finding where he wanted to settle in. I hope he was successful. I sort of did the same thing; but on a motorcycle. And I wasn't earning anything while doing it. I know where I would have loved to live, but I also know where I'm meant to live. My little house in Cheviot is a gift from Providence and I'm very lucky to have it, along with a brother who lives nearby and has been exceedingly helpful. Vern; you'll be all right. Enjoy driving and look for the positives. They're always there, but sometimes it's hard to see them. | ||
| Etennuly |
I am so happy for, and see in those of you I know, true happiness in your retirements. Your right John. There are trade offs for the choices we make in life. I have had perhaps a happier work life than some. I tried factory life, tried being a welder,so bored at both. I made snow at a ski resort, repaired motorized vehicles of all kinds. I found myself happiest earning money doing my art. I started painting and doing body work at 12 years of age. Gave up my push mower job to do it. Four years later I went to vocational school for body work. About eight years in I got real good at it. I got real deep into heavy collision. I was one of the elete group of body guys in the Tampa area, who never had to look for a job after getting in. I loved what I did. I would have worked for free if I could have. I did many times even. As a teen I was painting dirt track race cars, my first love ahead of body work. After six years of fixing painting and being at the race track I built my own. It was a fantastic time for me. Building , driving race cars. At the same time riding dirt bikes, racing three wheelers, and snowmobiles, and owning and riding some fantastic road bikes. All the while dating someone else's girl friends to save time. I had friends who worked in factories making more money than I did, but I was having fun, a lot more fun. That is the reason I have no regrets for how I chose to live. They had to wait all year to get to a week of vacation. I lived it! | ||
| 86129squids |
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| 86129squids |
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| 86129squids |
Vern. It's great to follow this thread, better to see the light at the exit of your tunnel. I never knew we'd be buddies back when I sold you that Uly. Oh heyull, I'd never expected the many adventures we've shared. Retirement? I'm retired in my chair, typing this. I'm tired, mostly in my feet. Marcia's tired, asleep, working when I'd much rather she could retire. Life's a beeitch. Hoping for the beach. Pass-a-grille in particular. Got a roof over my head, my honey, two spoiled dogs, and a BMW in the shed. Working from there, don't know where Easy Street is. | ||
| 2003xb9r |
Hi Vern, I wish you well in your new venture. I'm interested in knowing more about your truck as I work for a Freightliner dealership here in NZ. Yours looks to be a Columbia? What engine and trans are you running? | ||
| Etennuly |
Hi Dave, 2005 Columbia, Cat C15 acert, twin turbo, 475 hp, EF 10 spd, factory 24.5 polished wheels and tanks, twin stacks, mid roof no fairings. Little over 600,000 miles. | ||
| Etennuly |
 I just ran the overhead. This is 1 of 3 valve pots. It's amazing. 6 cylinders 30 lash adjustments! I have heard Ducati is difficult to do. The worst part of this is the 5&6 valve pot is back under the firewall. I did part of that set using a video camera /monitor. Going back in to do the cam lash to quiet it down a bit. It isn't Uly barricade orange, but Cat yellow will have to due! | ||
| Ourdee |
Some parts of Convoy don't add up till you figure out a Rubber Duck is a decoy. Who do you think was hauling the money load? Vern, I'm partial to Chrome Yellow. | ||
| Crusty |
Cat yellow looks pretty good. | ||
| 2003xb9r |
Nice one. Thanks for the info. Yes, the non cab overs are pretty tight around the firewall etc. However, the gear change operation is so much nicer on these compared to the cable operated Argosy for instance. I don't see so many C15s nowadays, mainly Detroits and Cummins, MBE4000s in the smaller ones. | ||
| Etennuly |
Cat quit making highway engines in about 2007 when fed emissions made producing diesel truck engines a lawsuit in waiting. | ||
| Dwardo |
I hope this is not off-topic. Can any of you school me on Medicare? I am turning 65 in March and my understanding is that I have to sign up for Part A but I don't necessarily need to sign up for Part B etc. because I will still be working and covered by insurance. The insurance is OK unless I need to be in a hospital and then it would be inadequate. I am not taking Social Security and don't plan on it until I reach full retirement age. I plan to work at least two years more. There seem to be a lot of choices for Part B and D and I'm confused. I'm sure somebody out there has been through the same process and I'd love to hear your insights. Thanks. | ||
| Pwnzor |
I had a C15 in my 2000 Peterbilt 378  | ||
| Crusty |
Gee; what kind of Hellcat were you hauling under that plastic camouflage? | ||
| Kmbuell |
Medicare is VERY confusing. I hit 65 late summer, thought I would be ok with work insurance. Get it in writing that your plan meets the requirements. Ours didn’t, I went with a Medicare plus plan. I have to pay Medicare $135+/- a month until I take SS. I’m a bit rare as I can claim my late wife’s until I want mine. Going to hold out till 70 for that. I’ve got a pretty good deal where I’m at, they need me more than I need them. Working about 30 hours a week, full benefits with 28 days of vacation plus up to 80 days a year unpaid to do my other gig (consulting) or travel. Probably will take late wife’s SS this spring as we are building a new home and shop. | ||
| Dwardo |
Thanks very much! What happens when you collect SS? Does is change the premium? |
