hdk here!! Thank you OP for the great advises. I am very excited to be honest. At first, I got a panic reaction after working for so long at Intel where you get used to it and you feel the world will end if you don't have it but after talking to my spouse and running numbers and options, this is a blessing in disguise and now I cannot wait to get the official paperwork.
I have also met few of the retirement milestones and even thought I was not ready or planning to retire per say, this is a window of opportunity that does not come very often. I could have retired or leave at any time but there was not going to be any "package" with it. Now depending on what formulas they use, I could get almost one year(or more) plus I get 1 full year of accelerate RSU's due to retirement status. The downside part will be taxes for 2022 since I guess this will get taxed as income and may blow up my limits, but I'll cross that bridge when we get there. Would have been nice if they have done this at the beginning of the year so only one income tax :).
Good call on SERP and I will look into that as I know I qualify due to my years of services. On the Cobra I am on the fence since we are now on the open enrolment period so not sure which plan Cobra would follow (my current 2022 or the new 2023 selection?). If cobra follows the new 2023 enrollment, then I will choose the best plan available since Intel will pay. In either case, my spouse has a great medical plan which I don't really need cobra but, if cobra is based on 2023 selection, I may be able to drop from my spouse plan for 18 months and safe some $$.
Already took all my contact info and personal docs but still looking to make sure I get all I need before losing access.
Thanks again and I hope and wish for the best for everyone being impacted.