A few months ago I turned 59 1/2 which means that I can withdraw money from my 401K as taxable income and without any penalty if I so desire. I remember in my old job, when you became pension eligible we joked that you had inflated the life raft. So now another life raft has been inflated! I have also received my Social Security statement from the government. In slightly more than two years I can start receiving benefits if I do not want to wait till full retirement age (66 years). Another life raft waiting to be launched. I just hope I live long enough to get back all the money I paid into the system.
Getting old requires a sense of humor and I tell myself that 60 is the new 50. When I visit my mother and father's grave, I see a lot of tombstones of people that were a lot younger than me when they died and I congratulate myself for making it this far and being in good health. I remember back in the 70s being disgusted when Hustler magazine published nude photos of a 50 year old woman (well Hustler is disgusting). I doubt I would be as disgusted now.
