What should I do for the next few years before retirement?

Ok that’s useful to know,

Might talk to the doctor. She’s advised a break, I can get a few months paid sick leave but of course I will have to be taking steps to cope with stress etc. That might not be a bad idea.
 
Annieindublin said:
Might talk to the doctor.
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You don't need anything from the doctor for the JB claim if that's what you mean. Just cite workplace stress or burnout on the application. But you may want to see your doctor in any case given what you've posted above.

Paid sick leave would be better than quitting and signing on though as it would give you some more time to try to figure things out.

Good luck - I went through something very similar a few years ago but decided (and thankfully could afford) to just effectively retire early when my JB/IB claims ran out.
 
100% don't hit the nuclear option yet. Talk to your GP about a break from work. Having returning to work hanging over you might not help but also it sounds like you don't necessarily have to if you choose not to. So try this first.
 
Paid sick leave is attractive of course but it probably comes with a few requirements to attend company doc etc. But the scheme we have is 6 months. People have stayed out longer, theres another long term scheme for that.., rumour is that someone was off for a decade.
But it could kick the can down the road for a bit. And of course… paid .. is good. And it’ll keep the pension contributions rolling in.
 
I took the nuclear option and don't really regret it but if I had been a little less impatient, burnt out and disillusioned, then I probably could have strung things out a bit longer which might have been a bit more prudent. But, in my case, the overall benefit would've been marginal to my overall situation and I really just wanted to get out of that job in particular and corporate life in general. Good luck, hope it all works out for you. :)
 
Annieindublin said:
So I’m thinking of walking out. The stress is going to make me ill, already on BP meds and I can see my alcohol level increasing as the weeks progress. (I am aware of that and being careful, it’s a symptom of the stress I’m under).
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Will walking away reduce your BP and alcohol intake? Will you be genuinely be happier? Can you afford it financially? If so then I'd just walk away, making sure to milk the company sick leave scheme for every penny it's worth on the way out.

Sad to say, but if you die at your desk in 6 month your colleagues of decades will have basically forgotten you in a fortnight. Your employer will forget you even faster beyond any residual paperwork.

You owe them nothing. Me feiners generally nauseate me but in this situation you need to be looking after yourself.

Any chance of changing employers in your industry at this stage of your career? That could be an alternate exit strategy.
 
I think I’ve hit the age ceiling… most companies in the industry shed people at 60.

Might look locally see if there’s anything less stressful and maybe part time.
 
Revisiting this.

Work improved with a few internal changes and I felt ok to remain until I can collect my pension. November 2027.

Or maybe not… a friend suggested I take advantage of the new pay related dole and leave a few months early. Any views here on accessing that? I believe that if you quit work voluntarily you can’t just walk in and sign on. I know about saying you are job seeking but isn’t there a cool off period of 9 weeks.

We had had a couple of good holidays and done some repair work and replaced a car have now savings of only €35k. But zero debt.

My father died last week so I’m feeling a bit wobbly and also a bit less inclined to work until the bitter end. But this isn’t the week to make life changing decisions that can’t be reversed.

Also I haven’t worked out the nitty gritty of accessing our Uk pension funds etc.

These were payments made to a company called Merchant Investors, now owned by someone else. I assume there’d be a tax on withdrawing it. Where can I find information on that?
 
Annieindublin said:
I believe that if you quit work voluntarily you can’t just walk in and sign on.
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I have heard others say you can access benefits if the reason you leave is that you are suffering burnout but no first hand experience. Hopefully others on here can provide info/advice based on direct experience

Annieindublin said:
My father died last week so I’m feeling a bit wobbly and also a bit less inclined to work until the bitter end. But this isn’t the week to make life changing decisions that can’t be reversed.
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Sorry to hear of your loss, was in the same position last year and agree don’t do anything for a while, I actually resigned but was given a couple of weeks to reconsider and decided to hang on for another while although my resolve is up and down despite also agreeing a short career break too, will see how things pan out when I return to work next month

Definitely good to keep options open until you have a firm life plan and financial plan sorted
 
Cameo said:
I have heard others say you can access benefits if the reason you leave is that you are suffering burnout but no first hand experience. Hopefully others on here can provide info/advice based on direct experience
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I signed on a few years ago for JB (pay related JB wasn't available at the time) having left my last job due to stress/burnout and that was an acceptable reason for DSP/SW to approve my JB claim.

Edit: didn't realise that I had already said as much earlier in this thread.
 
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Annie so sorry for your loss.

Is there any chance to take a career break? One that could turn permanent if you found it to suit you? Or one that has a timeline so that you come back energised/refreshed for the final stretch?
 
Sorry for the loss of your Dad. The ball is in your court you are in a great financial position I think you have done enough. I would call it a day if I was in your position and sign on for either jobseekers or sick whichever is easier until you draw down your OAP.
 
Annieindublin said:
My father died last week so I’m feeling a bit wobbly and also a bit less inclined to work until the bitter end. But this isn’t the week to make life changing decisions that can’t be reversed.
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So sorry for your loss. Best advice I can give is what you already said - take all available time before committing to a major life decision. I think I said a few months ago that financially you’re more or less good to go.

But y’know, it’s clear from multiple posts of yours that I’ve read that you’re very much a head-screwed-on kinda person, and you should trust your own instincts here - too soon to make a call.

Again, very sorry for your loss Annie.
 
It’s all go in our house. Hubby (60) has just been made redundant. Teeny payout as he’s only there a couple of years. He's unlikely to find a new job paying so well. His industry is shedding staff everywhere so might not get anything.

I think the universe is telling us to quit.

Time to revisit the spreadsheets and find advice on the Uk pension situations.

I have €250k in my AVCs and he has €189k in a PRSA. Should be enough to keep us going until pensions come in
 
Annieindublin said:
I have €250k in my AVCs and he has €189k in a PRSA. Should be enough to keep us going until pensions come in
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I presume you mean the Old Age Contributory Pensions (and UK pensions if applicable) from age 66?

No harm in analysing/understanding your household finances so you know what you need/want to live on if you haven't already done that.

Moneymakeover - Household Budgeting Comparisons?

Not sure if the correct place... Life has been in (financial) flux for the last 4 years (house purchased, wedding, new baby, mat leave) but 2025 has brought some stability so I have had a look at our income and expenses. I track both pretty well. We both have decent incomes, don't live...
www.askaboutmoney.com
 
Yeah we each have Uk and Irish state pensions to come. I have a DB pension as well. Longer term we should be ok, but aged 63 (me) and 60: we have a few years to go.

We also have some funds in old Uk schemes. I need to investigate how to extract that with min tax exposure.
 
A little (?) details I’d forgotten… my AVCs are linked to the company DB scheme and I can’t access them early. Kinda annoying having 250k there and having to work for an “extra” year.

So unless I can cash in the UK money I can’t see how it’ll work. We don’t have sufficient cash to fund a year with neither of us working, husband will get pay related job seekers and I guess I might too, after the disallowed period if you quit work voluntarily.
 
If your UK money is DC you should be able to access it - although it has become difficult to open a SIPP without a UK address and you need a uk bank account for payments I think. DB is difficult as you probably know because it’s hard to get advice needed to allow you to transfer out. I looked into it for a small one and gave up.
 
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