Is retiring at 55 realistic?

55 may not be too early to retire, but it is too soon for Social Security. As you work to navigate the income equation in hopes of retiring at 55, cross Social Security benefits off your list of potential income sources in the short-term. Eligibility for Social Security benefits starts at 62 for retirees.

Is it common to retire at 55?

So it's perfectly legal to retire in your mid-50s if that's your goal. But it's important to keep in mind that retiring at 55 isn't the norm for most people. If you're going by the normal retirement age prescribed by Social Security, for example, that usually means waiting until you're 66 or 67.

How much money should you have to retire at 55?

To figure out just how much money you need to save to retire by 55, Doe suggests using a common rule of thumb: Take your current salary and multiply it by 10. Keep in mind that this is just a jumping-off point — there are many other factors you'll need to consider.

What are the disadvantages of retiring at 55?

Is $3 million enough to retire at 55?

If you're retiring at 55 instead of 66, you have 11 extra years of expenses and 11 fewer years of income that your savings will need to cover. The good news: As long as you plan carefully, $3 million should be a comfortable amount to retire on at 55.

Retire at 55 | What It Takes to Retire Early

What is Rule of 55?

What Is the Rule of 55? 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.)

Do you live longer if you retire early?

As a general rule, early retirement leads to a longer and happier life. The optimal age is your mid 50's, when you're still young and healthy enough to enjoy everything. The only caveat is ensuring sufficient savings to support your desired lifestyle.

What is the perfect age to retire?

Key Takeaways. Rules surrounding Social Security benefits established age 65 as a common retirement age. Men retire at an average age of 64.6 years, while women remain at work until age 62.3.

What percentage of the US population retire at 55?

In each five-year age group, there has been a decrease of between five and nine percentage points in the number of retired Americans, with the biggest drops in the 55-59 age range (from 19% to 11%) and in the 60-64 age range (from 41% to 32%).

What no one tells you about early retirement?

You may have a long, long life ahead of you

A woman who retires at 55 will have to make her savings last for 28.6 years, on average, compared to 20.4 years if she retires at 65. A man who retires at 55 will have to stretch his savings for 25.1 years, rather than 17.8.

Can I retire with $1 million dollars at 55?

Can I retire at 55 with $1 million? Yes, you can retire at 55 with one million dollars. You will receive a guaranteed annual income of $56,250 immediately and for the rest of your life.

Is $2 million enough to retire at 55?

As long as you won't face penalties and live a fairly typical lifestyle, $2 million will likely be sufficient for someone retiring at age 55.

Where should I be financially at 55?

Are your retirement savings on track? While each situation differs, CFP Brandon Opre, founder of TrustTree Financial in Huntersville, North Carolina, offers a rule of thumb: 50-year-olds should have four to six times their annual salary saved; 55-year-olds should have five to eight times their annual salary.

How much money does the average 55 year old have?

Retirement Savings When You're in Your 50s & Beyond

Suggested savings: The general guidelines recommend having eight times your annual salary saved by 60. The median income for a 55-year-old is about $57,500, which means having $460,000 saved for retirement. The average savings for those 55-65 is $197,322.

Is 1.5 million enough to retire at 55?

If you have $1.5 million saved up and want to retire at 55, this may be enough for you. The reality is that it all depends on your withdrawal rate—the amount of money you consistently take out of your accounts to support yourself—and how long you live. A reasonable withdrawal rate, for instance, is 4%.

What are the pros and cons of retiring at 55?

Pros of retiring early include health benefits, opportunities to travel, or starting a new career or business venture. Cons of retiring early include the strain on savings, due to increased expenses and smaller Social Security benefits, and a depressing effect on mental health.

What are the signs that you should retire?

Is there a downside to retiring early?

Early Retirement Cons

Smaller Social Security cushion: Retiring early means there was less time for you to pay into your Social Security out of your paycheck. In other words, the sooner you start to take Social Security, the lower the benefits will be from which to pull.

Are people who retire early happy?

Generally, people who have retired early said they were happier, had better relationships with family and friends, and had improved mental and physical wellbeing. However, 47% of early retirees said their finances had worsened.

What happens to your brain when you retire?

A 2017 study that tracked several essential cognitive functions of nearly 3,500 participants before and after retirement found “all domains of cognition declined over time.” What's more, verbal memory specifically declined 38% faster after retirement than before retirement.

How much Social Security will I get if I retire at 55?

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 normal retirement age results in a reduction of your benefit amount.

How many times your salary should you have saved by 55?

Some experts suggest planning to live on a minimum of 65 to 75% of your current income in retirement, but ideally you should plan to live off of 80% of your current income. According to these parameters, you may need 10 to 12 times your current annual salary saved by the time you retire.

Can I partially retire at 55?

Age for partial retirement

Provided you meet the job reshaping conditions, you can take partial retirement from age 55, or 50 if you joined classic, classic plus or premium before 6 April 2006. If you take your benefits before your normal pension age, they will be reduced to take into account the early payment.