are exactly why I tell everyone considering it to do it now.

I took a small pay cut when I left, made up for that easily with cost of living and advancement, eventually leading to my own firm. Had I waited another 3-5 years I think the pay cut would have been too big - at least from the eyeball test - and I likely wouldn't have been able to start my own thing - would have been a sheeple with the golden handcuffs.

There can be a big retirement payout in a strong economic area, but if you live below your means wherever you are, that usually balances out due to cost of living. Now in an area like NOVA you can get very lucky, depending on timing, with real estate. Both the lows and the spikes are typically higher than the national average.

I also lost an uncle to a heart attack when he was in his late forties and a close same aged neighbor several doors down to ALS, made me think. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. Seen it too many times where someone retires and a week later has health issues and can't enjoy it. If you are enjoying yourself enough along the way and have a long term exit plan - great. If you aren't happy, can't wait for the next thing, and are literally counting down the years/months/weeks/days until retirement IMHO you are doing it wrong.

If family needs you in the area that is a completely different story.