Barbara Ann Patton, 88, works as a notary in Florida to meet financial needs, primarily due to minimal retirement savings and decisions made decades ago. Initially opting for an early retirement at 53 from Ameritech to care for her ailing husband, Patton took a buyout instead of a full pension, believing she was protecting her family. Now she faces financial stress, relying on her stepdaughter's help, and wishes she had made different choices to secure a more stable future.
I work now because I need to, partly due to some poor decisions I've made. I’ve always thought that at this time in my life, I’d be getting my Social Security, have a very nice pension from my corporate management years, and help some people financially. I can't do that, and that's a disappointment.
I took an early retirement because I had 35 years with the Bell System. My husband could no longer work, and I was concerned that if I took the full pension, if something happened to me, then that would leave him with no income.
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