Retired and Still Working? Yes!

Alex Brandon/AP Some of the most fortunate people in the world never retire. Consider Warren Buffett, who at age 83 remains CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Dianne Feinstein, the 80-year-old senator from California, and the head of circulation at our local library, who is going strong at age 72 and still loves her job. Not all of us have the option to keep our jobs for as long as we want. Some of us are forced to retire in our 50s. Others jump into retirement at the first opportunity, even if they can't really afford it. Still others are sick of their jobs and dream of retirement, if only they could survive without a paycheck. But retirement is not necessarily an all-or-nothing proposition, and neither is financial independence. There is a lot of gray area where you may have some income in the form of interest, dividends, a pension, Social Security or a working spouse that is enough to supplement your earned income, but not enough to completely replace your income. What this financial semi-independence can do is cushion the blow of a layoff, or allow you to leave behind the drudgery of your old job and strike out for something new and more interesting, but that may not pay as well. If you've been given a gold watch, a kick out the door or are just sick and tired of your job, you might be able to leave behind the daily grind and fill in the missing income in other ways.