Can you retire at age 55? Maybe. It depends on how far out you start planning, how much you've saved, and how much you plan to spend each year. For example, if you're 25 years old and contemplating retirement 30 years away, an age 55 retirement is possible – if you start planning now.
Under the terms of this rule, you can withdraw funds from your current job's 401(k) or 403(b) plan with no 10% tax penalty if you leave that job in or after the year you turn 55. (Qualified public safety workers can start even earlier, at 50.)
Retiring in your mid-60s still makes sense for many people. At this point, you are old enough to have hopefully amassed sizable savings, but you are still young enough to enjoy active pursuits such as travel.
On average, 63 is the ideal age for retirement according to both retirees and pre-retirees. While current retirees are hitting close to that mark with an average actual retirement age of 62, there are signs that future retirees could have more difficulty retiring at their ideal age.
However, you unfortunately cannot begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits at 55. The earliest age you can begin drawing Social Security retirement benefits is 62. But there's a catch – taking Social Security benefits prior to reaching your full retirement age results in a reduction of your benefit amount.
The ideal monthly retirement income for a couple differs for everyone. It depends on your personal preferences, past accomplishments, and retirement plans. Some valuable perspective can be found in the 2022 US Census Bureau's median income for couples 65 and over: $76,490 annually or about $6,374 monthly.
By age 40, you should have three times your annual salary already saved. By age 50, you should have six times your salary in an account. By age 60, you should have eight times your salary working for you. By age 67, your total savings total goal is 10 times the amount of your current annual salary.
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.
Can I take my pension early and continue to work? The short answer is yes. These days, there is no set retirement age. You can continue working for as long as you like and, from the age of 55, access most private pensions in various ways.
The rule of 55 is an IRS provision that allows you to withdraw money from your 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan without the 10% early withdrawal penalty if you leave your job in or after the year you turn 55.
Between 2016 and 2022, only 11% of Americans retired between ages 55 and 59.4. This was a decrease from the prior period (2006-2015) when 15% retired between ages 55-59 ½. While it's definitely possible to retire at age 55, it's not the norm: the average age for retirement in the US was 62 in 2023.
The rule of 55 is an IRS provision that allows workers who leave their job for any reason to start taking penalty-free distributions from their current employer's retirement plan in or after the year they reach age 55.
It's Possible To Retire on a $1,500 Monthly Budget
But with a little creativity and flexibility, you may find a new home with everything you want, including a good climate, welcoming community and affordable lifestyle.
With $100,000 you should budget for a retirement income of around $5,000 to $8,000 on top of Social Security, depending on how you have invested your money. Much more than this will likely cause you to run out of money within 25 – 30 years, which is potentially within the lifespan of the average retiree.
For a $75,000 annual salary, this equates to $1,003.50. Next, they pay 32% of your earnings between $1,115 and $6,721. This adds another $1,643.20, bringing your total monthly benefit to $2,646.70, or $31,760.40 annually if you retire at full retirement age. Your benefits can vary based on when you start taking them.
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.
SSA.gov. Starting Your Retirement Benefits Early. Accessed Apr 26, 2023. People with 401(k)s at work may be able to to withdraw money early from those accounts penalty-free — if they leave their jobs at age 55 and up (this is often called the "rule of 55").
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.
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits only when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.
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.
Social Security bases your retirement benefits on your lifetime earnings. We adjust or “index” your actual earnings to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then we calculate your average indexed monthly earnings from your highest 35 years of earnings.