You won't be able to take Social Security benefits until you reach 62 or qualify for Medicare until age 65. Retirement accounts also have a 10% penalty for withdrawals taken before you turn age 59½. Therefore, if you retire at 50, you'll need to tap into other resources to finance those first 10 to 12 years.
However, since the earliest age to collect Social Security benefits is 62, retiring at 50 means you'll have to wait at least 12 years to receive these benefits. Therefore, your plan must ensure you arrive at a Social Security-eligible age with a solid financial position.
You can receive Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, we'll reduce your benefit if you start receiving benefits before your full retirement age.
Generally, the SSA is more favorable to applicants over the age of 50. Even if applicants over the age of 50 can perform light work, they typically qualify for benefits. People under 50 must prove their disability prevents them from doing any work.
The $1,000 per month rule is designed to help you estimate the amount of savings required to generate a steady monthly income during retirement. According to this rule, for every $240,000 you save, you can withdraw $1,000 per month if you stick to a 5% annual withdrawal rate.
If you've worked and paid taxes into the Social Security system for at least 10 years and have earned a minimum of 40 work credits, you can collect your own benefits as early as age 62.
The SSA tends to be more lenient with applicants over 50, and the medical criteria for this age group can be easier to meet. This means that while age alone won't get you those benefits, being older can certainly work in your favor when meeting the SSA's requirements.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
If you didn't make saving for retirement a priority early in life, it's not too late to catch up. At age 50, you can start making extra contributions to your tax-sheltered retirement accounts (called catch-up contributions).
This is where the rule of 55 comes in. If you turn 55 (or older) during the calendar year you lose or leave your job, you can begin taking distributions from your 401(k) without paying the early withdrawal penalty. However, you must still pay taxes on your withdrawals.
But even if you never worked and therefore don't have an earnings record, you're not necessarily out of luck. If you're married (or were married) to someone who's entitled to Social Security, you can collect spousal benefits equal to 50% of your husband or wife's benefits at full retirement age.
If you retire with no money, you'll have to consider ways to create income to pay for your living expenses. That might include applying for Social Security retirement benefits, getting a reverse mortgage if you own a home, or starting a side hustle or part-time job to generate a steady paycheck.
The rule of 55 allows you to take money from your employer's retirement plan without a tax penalty before age 59.5.
You can receive Social Security benefits based on your earnings record if you are age 62 or older, or a person with a disability or blindness and have enough work credits.
Someone in their fifties who made $60,000 per year might expect a disability payment of $2,000 per month. You can check your annual Social Security Statement to see your covered earnings history. You'll need to set up an account to see your statement online at my Social Security.
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
Those facing financial emergencies, such as a layoff or debt, may benefit from accessing Social Security early. If you retire early and need extra income, Social Security benefits can provide supplemental funds to support your new lifestyle, hobbies or retirement activities.
That depends on your situation. The main drivers include how much you spend and how much retirement income you get. If you have a generous income from pensions or Social Security, $300k might be plenty. But without significant resources, your spending needs to be relatively low.
For example, if you plan to travel frequently in retirement, you may want to aim for 90% to 100% of your pre-retirement income. On the other hand, if you plan to pay off your mortgage before you retire or downsize your living situation, you may be able to live comfortably on less than 80%.