Can You Retire At 62 With $400,000 In 401k? (2024) (2024)

FAQs

Can You Retire At 62 With $400,000 In 401k? (2024)? ›

It is 100% possible to retire with $400,000, provided you're not looking to enjoy a particularly expensive retirement lifestyle or hoping to leave the workforce notably early.

If you have $400,000 in the bank you can retire early at age 62, but it will be tight. The good news is that if you can keep working for just five more years, you are on track for a potentially quite comfortable retirement by 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.

According to recently released data from the SSA's Office of the Actuary, just over 590,000 retired-worker beneficiaries were receiving $1,298.26 per month at age 62, as of December 2023. That compares to about 2.11 million aged 66 retired-worker beneficiaries who were taking home $1,739.92 per month.

Yes, if you've managed to gather $3 million to fund your retirement, this should be more than enough to see you through in most cases.

Safe Withdrawal Rate

Using our portfolio of $400,000 and the 4% withdrawal rate, you could withdraw $16,000 annually from your retirement accounts and expect your money to last for at least 30 years. If, say, your Social Security checks are $2,000 monthly, you'd have a combined annual income in retirement of $40,000.

Highlights of changes for 2024. The contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), and most 457 plans, as well as the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan is increased to $23,000, up from $22,500.

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.

Most people in the U.S. retire with less than $1 million. $500,000 is a healthy nest egg to supplement Social Security and other income sources. Assuming a 4% withdrawal rate, $500,000 could provide $20,000/year of inflation-adjusted income.

How much can I earn while on Social Security in 2024 at age 62? ›

If you will reach full retirement age in 2024, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $59,520. Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, there is no limit on how much you can earn and still receive your benefits.

Social Security can potentially be subject to tax regardless of your age. While you may have heard at some point that Social Security is no longer taxable after 70 or some other age, this isn't the case. In reality, Social Security is taxed at any age if your income exceeds a certain level.

You Have the Chance to Enjoy it Longer

Retiring early gives you more time to live the retirement life you've always dreamed of, be that pursuing hobbies, seeing the world, spending time with grandkids, or absolutely anything else you want.

Looking to retire on $4 million? If you leave work at 61, the average retirement age as of the latest Gallup data, you'll have more than enough to see you through to a life expectancy of 90 or even 100. Across 29 years, $4 million could equate to a generous $11,494 a month.

Bottom Line. A $3 million portfolio will likely be enough to allow a retired couple to spend reasonably and invest with moderate caution without any worries of running out of money. However, if expenses rise too high, it's entirely possible to drain a $3 million portfolio in well under 30 years.

By age 40, you should have accumulated three times your current income for retirement. By retirement age, it should be 10 to 12 times your income at that time to be reasonably confident that you'll have enough funds.

Retiring on $500,000 may be possible, but it probably won't be easy. In addition to aggressive saving and strategic investing, you'll need to be honest about your needs and thoughtful with your spending.

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. Your benefits will no longer be reduced regardless of how much income you have.

Say that you plan to retire at 62 with $600,000 saved. You expect to withdraw 4% each year, starting with a $24,000 withdrawal in Year One. Your money earns a 5% annual rate of return while inflation stays at 2.9%. Based on those numbers, $600,000 would be enough to last you 30 years in retirement.