Clocked Out

Vijay and Kirti Desai retired together at the age of 55. One year into their retirement, they are busier than ever exploring their family history.

When Sarah Walas left her job, she and her husband made sure of one thing: They still had health insurance covered.

“I’m a bit closer to the values that I had in my early 20s than I was in my mid-30s,” said Ryan Nichols

Instead of finding a new job after a layoff, Montrose Fell plans to find a new life — by pursuing permanent residency in Canada.

In the span of six weeks, Samantha Rafferty quit her job, was accepted into graduate school, and found out she was pregnant with a new child. Two years on, she couldn’t have been happier with her decision.

Seeking a more profitable career path but still hoping to work with children, Tristan Dennis went back to school.

People plan for retirement their whole lives through 401(k)s and savings. But not everyone gets to choose when they leave the workforce.

“It's been really difficult to look at a screen for extended periods of time since then,” said Sarah Turner. “And also, I have a lot of post-stroke fatigue, so it's just really hard to make it through a day.”

Skip Franklin retired in 2013, at age 37. “My primary identity at this point is church and friends and family,” he said. “Well, I should say church and volunteer work. I don't feel adrift without a job.”

Brennen Waldron quit his full-time construction job to focus on renovating a 100-year-old home for his family.