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.
Age may be just a number, but that number matters when it comes to retiring. The common definition of early retirement is any age before 65 — that's when you may qualify for Medicare benefits. Currently, men retire at an average age of 64, while for women the average retirement age is 62.
Here's how the maximum Social Security retirement benefit breaks down in 2024: Retired at earliest retirement age (62): $2,710 per month. Retired at full retirement age: $3,822 per month. Retired at age 70: $4,873 per month.
One frequently used rule of thumb for retirement spending is known as the 4% rule. It's relatively simple: You add up all of your investments, and withdraw 4% of that total during your first year of retirement. In subsequent years, you adjust the dollar amount you withdraw to account for inflation.
A worker can choose to retire as early as age 62, but doing so may result in a reduction of as much as 30 percent. Starting to receive benefits after normal retirement age may result in larger benefits. With delayed retirement credits, a person can receive his or her largest benefit by retiring at age 70.
Early retirement 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. For example, if you turn age 62 in 2025, your benefit would be about 30% lower than it would be at your full retirement age of 67.
When can you claim your state pension? The state pension age is currently 66 – but it's due to rise to 67 by 2028. You can't claim the state pension any earlier. If you choose to retire before then, you can take your workplace and personal pensions, but will have to wait to claim your state pension.
At least age 62, meet the Rule of 80 (combined age and years of service credit equal at least 80), and have at least five years of service credit.
Generally, you'll need to complete some paperwork, and describe why you need early access to your retirement funds. Unless you're 59 ½ or older, the IRS will tax your traditional 401(k) withdrawal at your ordinary income rate (based on your tax bracket) plus a 10 percent penalty.
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. ing 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.