How to retire at 60: What you need to consider for a successful retirement
Thinking about retiring at 60? Here's what you need to consider, including savings goals, Social Security, taxes, and tips for making your early retirement a reality.
Summary
The average retirement age in the US is 61; however, a recent survey found that most Americans want to retire at 60 and live to 100.
Full Social Security payments and Medicare don’t become available until ages 65 and 66, respectively. So, you need to consider both of these factors when deciding whether or not to retire early.
The average worker believes they need over $1 million to retire comfortably; this will be even more for couples who both want to retire at 60.
Unbiased can match you with a financial advisor who can help you plan your dream retirement and create a financial plan to get you there.
Can I retire at 60?
It is possible to retire at 60; however, you need to consider multiple factors before you make a final decision.
These include:
Savings and income: You will need to have enough savings and income potential to last for at least 17 years – the average life expectancy in the US is approximately 77.
Social Security: You cannot start receiving Social Security until you reach 62, and this will be at a reduced rate. Full retirement benefits are only available once you reach age 66.
Medicare: The majority of people only qualify for Medicare at age 65.
Tax: You may have to pay an early withdrawal tax on your 401(K) or IRA if you make withdrawals before you reach 59½. While you should avoid this if you retire at 60, it’s good to keep it in mind.
Lifestyle: You need to ensure you are filling your time; retirement can have a negative effect on your mental health if you don’t look after yourself properly.
While retiring a little earlier is possible, it’s wise to get expert financial advice before you make any big decisions. With the guidance of a regulated financial advisor, early retirement could be within reach.
How much money do I need to retire at 60?
According to Northwestern Mutual, the typical worker believes they need $1.46 million to retire comfortably.
How much you need specifically will depend on your lifestyle and expenses. These expenses vary according to the cost of living, where you live, your purchasing decisions, whether you own property, and other factors.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics brokedown of the average annual expenses of Americans aged 65 and older in 2021 offers a good idea of how much you will spend each year.
| Expense | Average amount |
|---|---|
| Expense | Average amount |
| Housing | $18,872 |
| Utilities, fuel, public services | $3,921 |
| Healthcare | $7,030 |
| Transportation | $7,160 |
| Food | $4,497 |
| Dining out | $1,994 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | $2,850 |
| Entertainment | $2,889 |
| Clothing and services | $986 |
| Reading materials | $138 |
| Total | $50,337 |
Let’s say that, to cover these average annual expenses and have some easily available funds for emergencies, you decide you want a yearly retirement income of $50,500.
To get an idea of how much money you need to retire at 60, let's multiply $50,500 by the 20 years it will take you to reach a little more than the average American’s life expectancy:
$50,500 x 20 = $1,010,000
It’s important to remember that when you turn 65, you will be eligible to receive Social Security benefits, which will help you cover these yearly costs.
How much does a couple need to retire at 60?
If we take the figures above, you could say that couples need twice as much to retire, $2,020,000.
However, this is not entirely accurate, as a lot of expenses can be reduced when split between the two. Additionally, you will have to pay more in certain areas, such as healthcare, to cover two people.
Most experts recommend that a couple save between seven and eight times their combined annual salary by age 60 in order to have a comfortable retirement.
This means if your combined annual salary is $135,000, you should have between $945,000 and $1,080,000 by the time you reach 60.
How much tax will I pay if I retire at 60?
Tax is still something you need to think about when you retire, especially if you choose to retire early.
You will need to think about the tax implications of income from:
Pensions: Taxable as ordinary income unless you pay after-tax contributions.
Traditional 401(k) and IRA: Taxable as ordinary income.
Roth 401(k) and IRA: Not taxed.
Social Security benefits: Up to 85% can be taxed by the IRS at ordinary income, depending on your provisional income.
Investments: Subject to capital gains tax (if long-term gains) or ordinary income tax (if short-term gains).
Additionally, as mentioned, if you make early withdrawals from your retirement accounts (before 59½), you will be subject to a 10% tax penalty.
What are the average retirement savings at 60?
According to the Federal Reserve’s 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, the average retirement savings of Americans in the 55-64 age group are $537,560.
Considering annual expenses of $50,000, $530,000 of savings would only last for 10 years. This would not be enough to enjoy a comfortable and lasting retirement.
How long will my savings last if I retire at 60?
How long your savings last depends on how much you have saved and your annual expenses.
Let’s look at multiple different scenarios using the high-level average annual expenses of $50,000 as mentioned above:
| Retirement savings | Years it will last |
|---|---|
| Retirement savings | Years it will last |
| $500,000 | 10 |
| $1,000,000 | 20 |
| $1,500,000 | 30 |
| $2,000,000 | 40 |
Of course, with larger savings, you can afford to spend more annually and live a more lavish lifestyle.
Let’s take a look at how much you will need to save if you want to increase your annual expenses and still have enough money to last for 40 years:
| Annual expenses | Retirement savings |
|---|---|
| Annual expenses | Retirement savings |
| $60,000 | $2,400,000 |
| $70,000 | $2,800,000 |
| $80,000 | $3,200,000 |
| $90,000 | $3,600,000 |
| $100,000 | $4,000,000 |
These calculations don’t factor in big one-off expenses, which can often occur when we least expect it. It also doesn’t factor in long-term care provisions, which is something you should consider as you get older.
Saving for retirement at 60: How do I do it?
Looking at the above example and the average savings, it’s clear that a comfortable retirement at 60 is out of reach if you do not prepare for it.
Let’s take a look at how to save to retire at 60:
Cut costs where possible: Find ways to lower your expenses, if not now, then when you retire. Consider moving to a smaller home or a location with a lower cost of living and try to pay off all your debt before retiring. If you can lower your expenses enough, you might be able to live on less than 70% of your pre-retirement income.
Take advantage of retirement accounts: Saving money is the most important part of preparing to retire at 60. If your employer offers a 401(k) plan, use it to save money. Alternatively, use another type of retirement account, such as an IRA or Roth IRA, and ensure that you adjust your asset allocation accordingly as time goes on.
Find ways to increase your monthly or annual income: It’s not always possible to work more hours or receive a pay increase at work when you ask for one. Consider finding other ways to increase your income, such as a second job or turning a hobby or passion into an additional income source. If boosting your income isn’t possible, try lowering or cutting out as many non-essential expenses as possible and putting the money you save toward retirement at 60.
Use additional or alternative savings and/or investment products: There’s no need to rely only on your employer’s 401(k) or your private Roth IRA when saving for early retirement. Ask a financial advisor about your options for saving and optimizing your investments toward retiring at 60. Some options may yield a better return than traditional retirement accounts, especially if you use aggressive strategies.
Want expert financial advice?
Retiring comfortably requires effort in the decades leading up to the time you leave full-time employment, hopefully for a life of doing what you want.
If you want to retire at 60, you need to put in the work early on to build your retirement savings and ensure you have enough money to last for the next 20 years.
Let Unbiased match you with the SEC-regulated financial advisor most suitable to offer expert financial advice so you can learn more about early retirement and how to get there.
Senior Content Writer
Rachel is a Senior Content Writer at Unbiased. She has nearly a decade of experience writing and producing content across a range of different sectors.