Can I Retire at 62? How To Retire At 62 And Not Run Out Of Money (2024)

FAQs

Can I Retire at 62? How To Retire At 62 And Not Run Out Of Money? ›

There's no secret formula for retiring at 62 and living a comfortable lifestyle. It all comes down to saving consistently and planning thoroughly beforehand to ensure that you'll have enough money to last the rest of your life. Social Security is just one part of the picture, but it's an important one.

Many retirees with little to no savings rely solely on Social Security as their main source of income. You can claim Social Security benefits as early as age 62, but your benefit amount will depend on when you start filing for the benefit. You get less than your full benefit if you file before your full retirement age.

While the average retirement age is 61, some Americans choose to retire at 62. You need to save less than $1 million to retire at this age. The average American can't afford to retire at 62 comfortably. A financial advisor can help you plan your dream retirement and create a financial plan to get you there.

The limit only applies if you claim Social Security before reaching your full retirement age. The earnings limit increases (to $56,520 in 2023) for the calendar year in which you'll reach full retirement age. Starting in the month you hit your full retirement age, there is no longer an earnings limit.

In 2024, the special minimum Social Security benefit for retirees at age 62 will be around $2,710.00 per month. However, it's important to note that this amount depends on your years of coverage and increases the longer you wait to begin claiming.

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 2024, your benefit would be about 30% lower than it would be at your full retirement age of 67.

Bottom Line. There's no secret formula for retiring at 62 and living a comfortable lifestyle. It all comes down to saving consistently and planning thoroughly beforehand to ensure that you'll have enough money to last the rest of your life. Social Security is just one part of the picture, but it's an important one.

You Have the Chance to Enjoy it Longer

Compounding this is that the stress of work can actually contribute to health issues, so if you stop working sooner, you may remain healthier longer. No longer having to work means you have time to work on yourself!

If you start taking Social Security at age 62, rather than waiting until your full retirement age (FRA), you can expect a 30% reduction in monthly benefits with lesser reductions as you approach FRA. Remember, FRA is no longer age 65: It's 67.

Can I draw Social Security at 62 and still work full time after? ›

You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time. However, if you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, we will reduce your benefits. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, we will not reduce your benefits no matter how much you earn.

The maximum benefit depends on the age you retire. For example, if you retire at full retirement age in 2024, your maximum benefit would be $3,822. However, if you retire at age 62 in 2024, your maximum benefit would be $2,710. If you retire at age 70 in 2024, your maximum benefit would be $4,873.

You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. But, if you're younger than full retirement age, and earn more than certain amounts, your benefits will be reduced.

Social Security income can be taxable no matter how old you are. It all depends on whether your total combined income exceeds a certain level set for your filing status. You may have heard that Social Security income is not taxed after age 70; this is false.

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 start receiving benefits at age 66 and 2 months you get 100 percent of your monthly benefit.

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.

While $1,500 might not be enough for non-housing retirement expenses for many people, it doesn't mean it's impossible to stick to this or other amounts, such as if you're already retired and don't have the ability to increase your budget.

That's not much to fall back on in retirement. As many as 28% of Americans have nothing saved for their retirement, 39% aren't contributing to a retirement fund and another 30% don't think they'll ever be able to retire. That's according to a new GoBankingRates survey.

It is never too late to start saving money you will use in retirement. However, the older you get, the more constraints, like wanting to retire, or required minimum distributions (RMDs), will limit your options. The good news is, many people have much more time than they think.