i would have liked to do likewise

but finances were not the best

now things are much better

I think my generation (I'm 45) are the on the dividing line. If you had/have a good pension scheme - that increasingly rare final salary scheme - or have invested wisely, then early retirement, or at the very least retirement at a reasonable age is possible. I think with the trend away from final salary schemes, younger generations are going to struggle to retire. A lot.

The age you have kids is also clearly a factor. I believe that there is a trend to have kids later in life these days. Certainly for me, I didn't get married until 34 and we weren't succesful in starting a family until I was 40. With 2 kids (1 & 5), as I say, retirement seems a dim and distant prospect. If we'd had kids in our 20's, things would be very different.

I had planned to retire at 60...divorce etc means i have had to postpone that until i am 70 at least...possibly 75..then i will possibly work part time in somewhere like B&Q to supplement my income

What he said!

I'm in a similar position. Just turned 45, kids 10, 7 and 4. Spent a period out of work a while ago, had to cash out a significant chunk of what meagre provision I had made for future retirement. I don't anticipate retiring for at least another 25 years. By time, approaching 70, I anticipate I'll be in a part time consulting role of some sort - keeping work hours that my body can deal with, providing sufficiently sage advice that somebody pays me handsomely for it.

Not an uncommon problem for us fortysomethings:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/p...its-at-48.html

Had the impression that Canadians were better prepared through RRSP's etc, not sure if that's true? ISA's in the UK have not been around as long.

key point 1 which for the majority is not possible IMO

not a key point, but clearly needs to be factored with key point 1

Twists & turns along your life & career path factor the retirement age - with maybe the lifestyle spending habits

key factor 2 is the ability to keep mind & body healthy, keep on the success career path, having that mutual understanding communicative loving family life, make the provisions (which can be difficult since all the best planning doesn't always pan out) then hopefully the golden years without debt or having enough money to live on.

For those of us that had children later in life the burden of worrying about the children & the future (which we do past 40) can take its toll on our later years working & family life. I found having children later was the best all loving thing - on the financial side it was tough going.

We have two children (wife & I are the same age) married at age 21 - we had our first child when we were 31 second one at 40. The youngest was still at home when I retired at 63 - thankfully now out of the house our monthly expenses are way down.

You are spot on....we are about the same age. Married for 9 yrs before splitting and had a son. I am hoping he goes to RMC to save me school fees, and to help him build up 4yrs of pensionable time, as well as a yearly salary whilst studying.

My brother-in-law that took this route, retired at 40, with 50% pension of his rank of Major salary 5yrs ago. He since took on a Govt job and is topping up annually as he goes.

Young people that have been brought up by their parents to feel entitled, are going to suffer, the ones that have their heads screwed on, will fair better. Expect divorce rates to go up too, and for more gold diggers to continue looking for their next prey.

I want to be able to enjoy my pension when I retire, and my BS meter is on FULL AUTO when it comes to dating and relationships. You can't be too careful, and you have to protect yourself.

I don't know how people are able to have multiple kids these days with limited income? Additionally, if you are foolish enough to let your partner stay home for some reason and they get use to that.....you might pay for it if your relationship ever goes south, in the form of spousal support (luckily, I avoided that).

Most people don't know of the "65 rule" when it comes to Family Law...simply, it the age of the person, and the time of marriage equals 65 and they happen to qualify for spousal support...then you are going to pay indefinitely!!!

So fellas....these are the things nobody tells you when you go get that marriage licence :-) It's not just young people that fall into this trap, older people too have found themselves fall prey to this as you can imagine because of the length of marriage, and one person having not worked for a long time

A friend of mine who's parents were married for 37yrs, just split up. The Govt wants someone to take care of this, as opposed to having to pay handouts

NOTE: This (divorce) obviously is not what most people want to hear, but reality and fiction are complete opposites. 50% of marriages will fail, and people will go on to inherit other people's baggage and drama that will further affect their new livies together i.e. blended families.

Money is the number 1 cause of problem amongst couples, followed by lack of communication

I don't believe this to be true. I imagine my support agreement is fairly standard, it calls for me to pay an amount equal to one third of my gross income at the time of the divorce, just until my former spouse dies; it's not an indefinite contract but one clearly bounded.

gobsmacked

do you put happily married people in that same context?

OMG ...gives me head a shake

What you believe and what family law states, are 2 different things

3/4 down the pages

http://www.wiselaw.net/family2.html

Like I said....as someone in his 40s, I wish a lot of what I now know from educating myself on Family Law, was presented to me before I got married. This is not scare mongering, but men as well as women by the way, need to know what they are getting themselves into. I have met females that have had to pay SS to a guy that decided he doesn't want to work anymore, some even moved out of the home leaving the house to the guy until sold.

The term "don't stick your d**k in crazy" was coined due to the fact that some out there are willing to get pregnant just to get child support for 18yrs

Sloppy phrasing there. The agreement pay survive the death of the payor, mine does, but it's not going to survive the death of the payee. I don't think I'd want to use Mr. Wise to write something I wanted to have a precise meaning.

I will likely work until I drop, based on:

Insufficient resources to retire (divorce and emigration saw to that),

A child that appears set to remain in full-time education forever (court order),

Souvette's insatiable appetite for buying shoes.

I think you may be overly concerned about peoples' eagerness to have you stick your dick in them.

a lifetime of shoes can be expensive

You might think you are happily married until it hits ya.....you get to know the true person when cracks start to appear....they will go as far as try to use your kids as pawn against you..I pray it doesn't happen to you

My thread on here and PM to a few describes what I had to do, to get that 50% shared custody that is in the child's best interest. Dead beat dads unfortunately have set a bad precedent, that I had to overcome by providing facts (not hearsay), and proof that I have always been involved.

If as a parent you do not know which school your kid goes to, the principal, teachers, doctor, extra curricular activities etc...you are going to burn in front of a justice or the courts.

Additionally..in any case of a separation where kids are involved....NEVER MOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE. Sleep in the garage if you have to, in order to avoid the other party building up a "status quo" against you. Judges don't want to disrupt a stable arrangement.