Former CPS teacher and CTPF member, Patty Mitchell, is living life on her own terms, thanks to some very careful retirement planning. She says she is “living the retirement dream.” While she always lived a life of self-sufficiency, she struggled financially as a young person and as a single mother. She knew that to have a fulfilling retirement that allowed her to do what she loves, she would have to make some financial magic happen through long-term planning.

For Patty, as for many, a teaching career is a pathway to prosperity. She learned first-hand that if you work hard and plan carefully, you will be able to fully enjoy retirement –“stress free.” Patty suggests that “faith, friendship, and planning” can make all the difference.

Patty taught in CPS schools for 29 years while raising her children on her own. While teaching, Patty started planning early for her retirement. She visited CTPF, worked with staff, and attended workshops over a period of about ten years. She stuck to her plan and exceeded expectations. In 2018 she retired to “her hub” in Las Vegas, NV. She now enjoys making her own schedule and can be found swimming in her pool, volunteering at a local school, and driving around in her sports car with the top down. She is living a “stress-free life.”

Patty says that she “has seen the lowest of lows and now, through all of her careful planning, is seeing the best life has to offer and is living the life she planned for.” She hopes others can be empowered to succeed and live their best life by believing in yourself, taking care of yourself, and understanding your unique financial situation through research and education. She encourages future retirees to “plan early for retirement because the sky is the limit.”