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Career Article 118:
Work After Retirement
By Kenneth Becker
Starting a new career after retirement, particularly in early retirement, is probably a good idea. It was for me. I started consulting just two months after retiring. For me it has been a way to keep in touch with my work friends and the industry that I was so closely connected to for thirty years.
Now I can do as much as I want to, when I want to, at the same income as before, but only working one third of the time. In consulting there are times that you work when they need you to meet a deadline. For the most part you are in control of your schedule.
Consulting part time, I can still do all the things I wanted to do in retirement -- spend time with family, travel, home projects -- and still be an active contributor in the industry that I love.
In my experience, consulting has been an instrument by which I can detach from industry in a manner that is best for me and in a time from that I set.
Consulting after retirement depends largely on whether your skills are in demand. My case may be unusual. I was leaving a group that was arguably the best in the industry with more work than it could handle. I immediately could not only have worked full time for that group alone, but had other projects offered to me.
I recommend working after retirement. However, you must make those decisions based on your needs and the demand for your skills. I love what I am doing. If you also love your occupation, post retirement work is going to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
I'll leave you with three tips, if you decide to pursue post retirement consulting.
- Set family and personal goals.
- Get tax and record keeping advice.
- Shut it down when it becomes a chore.
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