>Next year I will be 62 and take early retirement. However I have to work until about age 66 to collect full social security. Learning .NET is a great insurance policy that I will have useable skills which should be useful for several years. The way the economy is and with the present administration in mind I can see working until I have had the course. When I am no longer able to get up in the morning that will be enough for me.
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A bit off topic, but my Dad was in the same boat a couple of years ago. He took the "early" retirement after doing some math to figure out the difference between what he got by retiring at 62, and what he would get by waiting. I forget at what age where he would have come out ahead by waiting, but it was late 70's. He decided it was worth taking less now, than taking more later not knowing if he'd be around long enough to enjoy it. So now he just works a few days a week a place that sells military art - http://www.milartgl.com/