Is this decision by choice or by necessity?

laid off 3 years ago, not by my choice! Unfortunately it wasn't a permanent position, could've have gone back to a less desirable seasonal position but there came a point where this job was just too physically demanding & stressful. There was a long list of criteria you had to meet every year in order to be called back the next year, personally I'm getting too old for that.

wants to retire at 62 and I'll retire at 65. Depending on expenses, my hubby might pickup a part-time contract but only if he's having fun. 

is to retire at 55 years of age and this is by choice.  We have 3.5 years left and we can't wait.  

How did you come up with the amount you needed to have to be able to do this?

By living according to our means, by maximizing our RRSPs & TFSAs, by not incurring any debt, by focusing on paying off the mortgage, by keeping our older cars that are paid off and well-maintained, by vacationing wisely every couple of years, by listening to sound financial advice, and by having a reserve for a rainy day.  

I'll add something to the list: maximize non-registered investments.  Good investing can pay well and does not have to be risky. Dividends are taxed more favorably than plain interest, same with cap. gains.  A good adviser can pay off multiple times.

  

once you retire the age of 55, what will you & your husband be doing for the next 30-40 years? Do you have a lot of hobbies? Will you spend your days at the golf course?

We do have hobbies, and we will use the next three years to develop more in anticipation of retirement.  We also have been enlarging our social circle for that very reason.  We will definitely travel as it's something we both enjoy, and in fact have been accumulating a "travel fund" for our retirement years.

Retirement is something you have to prepare for, in more ways than one.

My brother passed away at 51, and my ex-husband just passed away at 51 also.  If we're lucky enough to get to retirement age I can assure you we will live it up.  There was a saying mentioned many times at my ex-husbands funeral a couple of weeks ago.  CARPE DIEM!

There is a great article on retirement in the most recent issue of Canadian Business.

There are some good practical articles in this month's MoneySense magazine too, on retiring and retirement.

Excellent magazine!