Dad is considering retirement

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ArtsieSteph

Senior Member
Apr 1, 2014
6,194
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Arizona
#1
So dad works at one of the best places I have ever heard of: Salt River Project in Arizona. They have amazing pay, benefits, perks, ect. ect. ect. They have been so understanding and willing to work with dad during his cancer. But things have been in flux since his stomach has been starting to get crowded with tumor and other things relating to the cancer. It may be soon that he can't work.

He has a choice: either go on short term disability and continue working after a few months and kinda go on and off, go on LONG term disability if he gets a feeding tube again in his nose, or just retire.

The first two, to my limited knowledge, offer some financial compensation. I think it's like a certain percent of his normal paycheck. But that only goes I think as long as he is alive. If God decided to take him home, then that would be the end also of the financial part. If he retires, then he gets a substantial cut take out of his usual paycheck, but it's long term pension. I don't know how long but it's a while.

To daddy, retiring is a more terrifying option because it really undercuts what financial security he wanted for me and mom. Also, on my end, I think that he needs goals and things to take his mind off of what is going on. He needs activity. And sadly I'm not the best person when it comes to thinking of activity if he did decide to retire.

We're probably gonna be selling the house, so that's gonna be one part of financial help but it's just a lot of pieces.... it always is isn't it?
 

ArtsieSteph

Senior Member
Apr 1, 2014
6,194
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Arizona
#3
Thank you miss Blue. :3 Fortunately the situation doesn't really bother me that much, it's more seeing dad gets upset makes mom upset and me upset and just yeah.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
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Tennessee
#4
I really don't think that your dad would want to burden you with being his activity director for the rest of your life. You need to consider your own life, goals, and where you want to go and who you want to do it with.

I believe that it is up to the company and the insurance carrier, based on the doctors prognosis, whether to assign your dad to either short or long term disability. I'm not sure which one, either long or short term, would offer the highest percentage based on his current income. It would probably be short-term but then, that is for a shorter length of time.

If the option to retire is on the table, and offers more money then long-term disability, then perhaps he should strongly consider this option. Most pension plans have a lifetime annuity, with the option to have your spouse to continue to receive this benefit upon death of the other spouse. This option would provide a slightly initial less amount but would continue until the death of both spouses. I'm sure also that your dad has life insurance also and possible 401K funds to take care of mom when the time comes.

Selling the house is something worth considering to reduce future expense.
 
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levi85

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2013
8,578
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#7
Lord please bless Arsiesteph's dad in this matter. In Jesus loving name, Amen!
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#8
Steph, there is a set of directions hospitals give everyone after an operation or procedure. The one I always appreciated was, "Make no life-changing decisions in the next 24 hours."

The reason they put that there is because whatever procedure or operation just took place, something could have gone wrong, and the patient could have died. Every single patient knows this going in, and has that moment in life where he/she faces mortality.

Your dad is facing that in a larger sense. This is no longer less-than-1%. (A phrase often given to patients before going through minor procedures or surgery, to let them know that's how many die from it.) His number is higher, so he's facing it in full panic mode.

He's starting immune-therapy today. "The last choice." He's terrified. And he's not crazy because he is. (He'd be crazy if he wasn't.)

He does not have to make that decision today. He will have to make it soon, but not today.

Remind him. "Make no life-changing decisions in the next 24 hours." I bet that is written on a piece of paper he had to sign to start this treatment.

Some days are huge-step days. Some days are baby-step days. Some days are step-back days. Ask him to work on that decision on a baby-step day, because today is a huge-step day.