New here and in the planning stages of retiring at age 64 and hopefully moving the the Villages soon after.
I agree, everyone is in a different situation and it takes great planning to make these important decisions about retirement. I am a female and was widowed suddenly at age 44. My husband and I did not have much liquid funds at the time he died, but fortunately the house was paid off, I got a small lump sum life insurance benefit, and had just started a new nursing job at a local VA Hospital.
Two years after my husband died met and have been with current partner for the last 11 years who is now 62 and I 57. We opted not to marry until after I turn 60 so that I can initially collect on my late husband's SS. I will start drawing off that at age 64 at which age I will have a decent 20 year government pension and a good amount of $$ built up in my TSP. When I turn 68 I will transition to my own SS which will add about $1400 to my monthly income. Things might be tight for a couple of years before I transition to my SS, but the Villages home which we plan to purchase in cash will be about $100,000 less than I will likely get from the purchase of my home which should not be on the market long as it is in a desirable town in a desirable development and I will be pricing it very fair.
Although I have a few years to go, I am looking forward to Florida's snowless winters and getting rid of my $7,000 and rising annual property tax
