The dream of early retirement often paints pictures of global escapades, embracing personal passions, or simply savoring the joys of life without the daily grind. But how attainable is this goal, particularly when desiring a cushion of financial independence? Here’s some hopeful news:
In the U.S., while the traditional retirement age hovers around 65, a new trend called the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has emerged. Coupled with holistic retirement planning and sharp financial strategies, this idea is feasible and has inspired 52% of millennials to aim for retirement before age 65.
So, How does early retirement work? Where do you begin? In this article, we’ll unveil the steps toward early retirement. We’ll discuss the strategies, challenges, and rewards of early retirement, equipping you with the knowledge and tools to turn your dreams into a financially secure reality. Read on.
What is the Early Retirement Age?
Early retirement is giving up work before the standard retirement age, often set at 65 — when many become eligible for Medicare benefits in the U.S. However, the concept has evolved. For many, early retirement can now mean leaving the workforce in their 40s or 50s or even earlier. Central to this change is the FIRE movement, an acronym for “Financial Independence, Retire Early.”
This movement isn’t just about retiring early in the traditional sense; it’s about achieving financial independence and giving individuals the liberty to decide when, how, and where they wish to work or if they want to work at all. The FIRE movement financial planning involves setting audacious goals and aggressively saving and investing, often 50–75% of one’s income, with the ultimate aim of retiring at 25 or during your 30s or 40s. Achieving this demands an unwavering commitment to frugal living, debt elimination, and prioritizing saving and investing for early retirement.
Early Retirement and Social Security
You can begin receiving Social Security benefits as early as 62. However, your monthly benefits will be reduced if you do so before the full retirement age (usually 66 or 67, based on your birth year). This reduction can be substantial, potentially up to 30%. The earlier you claim, the more significant the reduction.
Having said that, you can see that Social Security and early retirement do not work well together. It would be best if you had solid early retirement planning, emphasizing personal savings and investments. While Social Security can supplement your retirement income, it shouldn’t be seen as the primary pillar, especially if you retire earlier than the designated full retirement age.
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Steps to Retire Early
Now you are ready to take the bold steps toward early financial freedom, here are the five crucial steps for planning for early retirement:
1. Adjust Your Budget
Budgeting for early retirement involves a significant shift in your financial habits in preparation for retirement. It is about frugality and intentionally taking a transformative step toward aligning your spending with your goals for the golden years. A few tweaks here and there will eventually pave the way for financial security, where your money works for you, allowing you to retire on your terms.
Firstly, you should understand that early retirement often requires living on 50% or less of your current income. This means depending on your current spending habits; you will be making substantial cuts to your expenses and redirecting the rest towards investing and saving to retire early. This mindset shift is the core of the FIRE movement.
To this end, FIRE devotees employ various tactics, from eliminating all forms of debt, including mortgages, to cutting major and minor costs. You could also maximize your creative flairs with DIYs and explore cost-effective options for saving on transportation, utilities, food, and housing expenses. For instance, if you have a bike, you may want to dust those pedals and oil the brakes as your new means of transportation.
2. Increase Your Income
FIRE devotees employ various early retirement strategies to increase income, including managing side hustles, diversifying investments, and exploring career and skills development. But even among the FIRE community, there are three common approaches to maximizing income sources in retirement:
- Lean FIRE: This group prioritizes extreme frugality and aims to minimize living expenses to the utmost extent possible. Lean FIRE adherents often embrace minimalist lifestyles to save aggressively and retire early.
- Fat FIRE: Unlike the Lean FIRE, Fat FIRE enthusiasts focus less on frugality and more on increasing their income. They explore various avenues to boost their earnings, such as smart investments or side hustles. This allows them to maintain a comfortable lifestyle while still retiring early.
- Barista FIRE: The Barista FIRE group takes a unique approach by aiming to save enough to retire early but then choosing to work selectively and at their convenience. This means they enjoy their golden years while working in part-time or flexible roles, providing financial security without needing complete retirement.
3. Calculate Annual Retirement Spending
If you followed our Step 1 to adjust your budget, you’re in luck as you’ve likely mastered living on a fraction of your income. That sets the stage for needing less in retirement, assuming you maintain this prudence. You can calculate annual retirement expenses by examining your current monthly expenditure, considering what may decrease or increase and what you can eliminate. Then apply the early retirement formula by adding these up, multiplying by 12 (number of months in a year), and voila — your annual retirement needs!
Keep a 10% to 20% buffer for extra security to satisfy any spontaneous splurge.
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Factor in tax and inflation
Before you make “I just want to retire” your mantra, consider the often-forgotten hurdles: taxes and inflation.
Now, the tax dance. The aim is always to minimize taxes. Employ retirement withdrawal strategies, adhering to the age rules for tax-advantaged retirement accounts, like 401(k)s and IRAs. You can also consider working with a financial advisor for early retirement at Interactive Wealth Advisors to navigate tax-efficient investments while avoiding penalties.
And don’t forget the significance of inflation and retirement planning. Considering inflation is key to retiring early successfully. Inflation erodes the purchasing power of your money, so the exact amount will buy less in the future than it does today. Ensure that your savings and income keep up with rising prices to maintain your standard of living in your golden years.
Your options will now range from piggybacking on a spouse’s plan to exploring private insurance or group coverage through industry associations or getting part-time work offering health coverage.
4. Invest Strategically
As you’re gearing up for early retirement, you must know how to invest to retire early. Maximize your investment return because here’s the catch — while you have less time to save, your retiree period could stretch for decades. Your retirement horizon isn’t just about the years leading up to it; it includes the time you’ll spend enjoying retirement. As such, your investments must preserve and grow your wealth during this extended period.
So, consider a balanced investment portfolio for early retirement tailored for long-term growth as one of the tips for retiring early. Reallocate a portion of your savings into safer, more liquid assets to cover immediate expenses. It provides peace of mind knowing you have funds readily available. But, the majority of your investments should remain actively working for you. You can gradually convert these to cash as needed. This strategy ensures that your wealth not only withstands the test of time but continues to flourish, supporting your retirement savings goals.
Embrace low-cost index funds, especially those with a stronger focus on stocks. These can be potent tools in your financial toolkit as they come with minimal fees and expenses, allowing you to keep more of your investment returns. Over the long term, these lower fees can have a substantial positive impact on your overall returns.
5. Keep Expenses in Check
Successfully estimating your expenses in your golden years is one thing; the real challenge lies in keeping your spending in check once you’ve retired. It often starts innocently — a retirement celebration here, an unplanned vacation there, and with newfound free time, you might indulge in shopping sprees, explore gourmet cooking, or even adopt a furry four-legged friend. Before you know it, that well-planned 4% withdrawal rate begins to shift.
Here’s the truth: The 4% rule is your ally, but only if you stick to it. While it’s designed to accommodate inflation-driven spending increases, it cannot withstand significant spending leaps. Every extra expense, especially recurring ones like new debts, increases the risk of depleting your funds.
Avoid running out of money, as it isn’t the dream ending to your early retirement story. Instead, it often translates to returning to the workforce, which defeats the purpose of learning the strategies of how to retire by 50.
So, embrace disciplined spending in retirement to ensure your sustainable and fulfilling journey. It’s not about deprivation but about smart early retirement lifestyle choices that secure your financial freedom for the long haul.
Conclusion
Hopefully, we answered your questions, “What happens if you retire early?”, “How can I retire early?” Early retirement is well within reach if you diligently estimate expenses, embrace strategic investing, and exercise disciplined spending. Thankfully, the 4% rule is a potent tool, allowing your wealth to flourish, provided you stick to it.
However, remember that financial independence before 65 means making responsible choices to ensure your retirement is a chapter of fulfillment, not a return to work.
Start the journey early. Reach out to a dedicated retirement financial planner at Interactive Wealth Advisors today. Your path to early retirement bliss awaits!