Devoted to understanding the basics and fundamentals of investing

There is a whole section on retirement in The Wall Street Journal today 2 October 2006.  There is an essay on page R12 titled, "Day of Reckoning - How one man found the answer to the Big Question: Is it time to retire?"  It is written by John A. Prestbo.

The author turned 65 in September and was asking himself if it were time to retire.  He used a series of questions to help him decide.  He wasn't listing pros and cons for each question, rather asking himself if the category would make him more likely to retire, less likely to retire or had no impact at this time.  It was an interesting exercise so I present his discussion items for your benefit.

Health - given my current health and my family history of longevity how long am I likely to stay alive and healthy?

Job - do I like my job?  Do I feel productive and fulfilled?  Do I define myself at least somewhat by what I do?  Can I work part time with my employer or in my industry if I want to ease into retirement?

Plans - Do I have things I want to do now that cannot be put off until later?  Do I want to be an active part of my grandchildren's lives?  Do I want to learn a new skill or have a second career that requires me to retire?

Wealth - Have I saved enough to allow me to retire given the plans I have?  Do I have enough to pay for medical bills and long term care if needed?

How do you stack up?  Are you going to be able to retire when you're 65? (reminds me of an old Beatles song having to do with "...when you're 64?")