Semaphore Sam
You're probably a good man.
But when you studied for your license didn't they tell you you were going to retire as an ATP at age 60? (In the US, of course!)
I am 51, spent 15 years in the commuters and 16 years in the Majors. 9 more years to go!
All you have to do is save 10 per cent of your salary every year and the golden years are not a problem.
I have never owned a new car, and I have bought a house from the bank when the owner went bankrupt. But if UAL goes tits up, I can survive on my savings.
I really like flying, but I will really like retirement much better.
For US pilots, this problem is going to get much worse. It used to be you got partial social security at 62, full at 65. Now, depending on your birth year, it will be much, much, later.
I must confess now, the only way I could save 10 percent was to have it deducted from my pay. Otherwise, my wife or myself would have spent it in a heartbeat.
Semaphore Sam, I have a friend who was recently furloughed from US Air. For him, aviation has been hard. He is 56, hired at by the majors first job at 54.
He has no expectations of going back to work for USAir. He is taking a job with FlexJet just so he can work past age 60, because he will probably never be recalled....
If you need to work past age 60, then consider early retirement and grab a corporate job while you are young enough to be attractive to Employers....
Good Luck....where ever you may go, I may also follow......but maybe not my choice....