You thought it may never happen to you. But here you are with a pink slip and you didn't have a hint that it was coming. Will you retire or look for another job? Let's look at 5 solutions:
1. If you are 55 and older and have been at your job for 5 years or more, you can rollover that 401K into an IRA and take a monthly distribution. That distribution might help you ease into early retirement until you can tap even more money at age 59 ½.
2. If that's not enough to retire on then you can take a part-time job or do some consulting work for your former employer to supplement that distribution until you reach age 59 ½.
3. If you have crunched the numbers and there is no way option 1 or 2 will be able to support you then it is time to polish the resume. If you are going after a full time job, then don't bother taking a distribution from your IRA, you will need that money to grow more so you have a cushion to draw on when you decide to quit working.
4. Many people have used this opportunity for a personal sabbatical with an eye towards things you might consider doing if you did retire.
Take some time off before you plunge right back into the work world. You will look and feel fresh and not tired and bitter.5. Keep an open mind and ear to opportunities. Many people have taken this time to look at opening their own businesses or do some consulting work. You may also expand your horizons to another career that you have always been attracted to. If you have always had an itch to start your own business, this will look like a ripe time to examine whether you are up for it. Many local chambers of commerce have business plan workshops and start up incubators to help you get off the ground and support you along the way.
Whether you retire or not depends on your personal situation. Don't let a lay-off get in the way of your long term retirement plans. The 5 easy retirement solutions above can help guide you through some basic decisions you will have to make and keep you on the road to financial independence, and early retirement.
5 Easy Retirement Solutions For the Recently Laid Off