The Retirement Newsletter: Quarterly review — end of quarter 4 2023

Issue Number: -5.5 — How did it go?

Nick

Jan 14, 2024

Welcome

OK, so I am a little late with the review.

Welcome to issue -5.5 — Quarterly review — end of quarter 4 2023.

This is the tenth review:

Quarter 3, 2023: Issue -16: Quarterly review
Quarter 2, 2023: Issue -29: Quarterly review
Quarter 1, 2023: Issue -42: Quarterly review
Quarter 4, 2022: Issue: -55: Quarterly review
Quarter 3, 2022: Issue -68: Quarterly review
Quarter 2, 2022: Issue -81: Quarterly review
Quarter 1, 2022: Issue -94: Time for another review
Quarter 4, 2021: Issue -106: How is my retirement plan going?
Quarter 3, 2021: Issue -120: Time for a quarterly review

In the last review at the beginning of October, I said it was sixteen weeks until I retire, and yet here we are some 15 weeks later, and it is 11 weeks until I retire. So how did that happen? The answer can be found in Issue: -10 Ten weeks and counting, and should I launch a paid newsletter — Well, not quite…. and has something to do with jellyfish and backbones.

It doesn’t seem possible that I have had nine reviews, so how are things going?

End of quarter review

If you have followed along, you will know that my quarterly views focus on four key points: Job, Health, Life, and Money.

At the end of my last review, I said:

Job — my job is proving challenging. The start of the academic year is always hard work, but this year feels like the worst. Only the thought of sixteen weeks to go is keeping me going.
Health — things are good. I still need to drop a few pounds (well, if I’m truthful, many pounds) and get fit, but overall, I feel good. I’m tolerating the drug, but I wish I could regain my energy levels.
Life — life issues continue much the same. There are some minor improvements, but it still needs work.
Money — my Pension Wise meeting was very useful, and I came away with an action plan. I had three points on the plan; I have actioned two and need to complete the third: finding a financial advisor. My recent pension report suggests my pension pots are doing well. But inflation is still a worry.

So, where do I stand now?

Job

The return to work after the Christmas break has been challenging, with things coming at me from all directions. I don’t know if I am having a tough January and start to term two or if I have the ‘I will soon be gone’ feeling, so things seem more difficult. I regret my decision to stay (see Issue -10) until the end of the term because if I had left as planned, I would have been three weeks away from leaving.

What I do know is that I have started the wind-down. Two people have been appointed to take over my main role, and I have started handing off work to them. It is a great feeling.

By the end of this quarter, my job will be no more. I will be retired and embarking on other adventures.

If this is not my last quarterly review, will it be my last review with a job section?

Health

The drug I started taking six months ago is still ‘kicking my butt’. Luckily, I only have to take it once a week, and I now have a better strategy for managing the unpleasant side effects. Also, I have found a way to lessen the side effects, which is good news. However, I am still keen to explore other treatments, and I need to speak to my consultant.

Apart from the drug and what it is treating, and it is still doing a fantastic job, my health seems OK. (Famous last words.)

Life

I still have the same issues, but Christmas with the family went better than usual, so that was a relief.

There are still many things I need to work on.

Money

I am not a financial advisor. I am writing about what I have read over the years about money and preparing to retire. This is not financial advice.

In the last review, I hit one of the three targets, and the targets were:

Track down a lost pension — it no longer exits. Tick, done
Missing some state pension contributions — my old employer took the National Insurance contributions and didn’t pass it on to the government. They have now stopped responding to my emails (very professional). I now need to contact the government, get some strange ID number, and pay for the missing years. That is a task for when I am officially retired, as it will take some time.
Find a financial advisor — nope, I have not done this yet. I have spoken to a couple of financial advisors, and they didn’t sit well with me. I am still looking.

I must also tell the pension company when I plan to start taking my pension.

Also, it is good to see inflation dropping, but the damage to my pension has been done. The fall, at least, means the damage has stopped.

Overall, I still feel I’m in a good place with my pension.

Please note that I am not a financial advisor. I am writing about what I have read over the years about money and preparing to retire. This is not financial advice.

Summary

So, in summary:

Job — will soon be a thing of the past.
Health — things are good (tempting fate), but I want to change my treatment to something with fewer side effects.
Life — life issues continue much the same. There are some minor improvements, but it still needs work.
Money — things are locked in. I need to sort out the National Insurance and find a financial advisor. Plus, I need to tell my pension company when I plan to start my pension.

Overall, I still feel good about things, and it’s full steam ahead.

Travel — Nostalgia Corner

Useful links

UK Government Website:

Next week

Next week will be ten weeks until I retire, and in issue -5, I ask, What do I want from my retirement? (Maybe I should have asked this question earlier?)

Thanks

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Until next time,