Braces in mouth have been unchecked for 6 months. would taking them off without having retainers be bad?

Disasterous: Most likely disasterous. Retainers retain, and without them you will collapse possibly to your pretreatment condition. Go back and finish it correctly after all the time and effort and $ you have put in. Then be great for the rest of your life.

BAD NEWS!: Unattended braces can be disaster! you need to see an orthodontic specialist asap to insure permanent damage to your teeth, gums, and bone is not occurring. Perhaps it will be advised to remove your braces, but unless you want to lose anything that you gained by orthodontic treatment, then wear retainers!

Why the lapse?: Very often i encounter patients who have moved from a different locality, and finding a new orthodontist becomes a low priority. If the wires are very active, a 6 month lapse in supervision could have permanent negative affects. If you have moved and just "want them off", I do not know any certified orthodontists who would do it for you, at least not without a release to do so. If you can finish!