Retirement Retirement Planning

Financial Advisors Say This Is the Worst Age to Retire

Avoid retiring at the "worst" age.

By Josh Koebert , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Aug. 13, 2026

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When you decide to leave the working world behind, picking the right age may matter more than you might think. Of course, the ideal retirement age will vary based on your situation, but advisors recommend avoiding bowing out at the worst retirement age.

As you build your retirement plan, consider taking the worst retirement age, according to financial advisors, into account.

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What's the "perfect" retirement age?

Many define the traditional retirement age as 65. But most workers aspire to retire before or after this line in the sand. According to a new survey by Empower, Americans believe the "perfect" retirement age is actually 58.

But in reality, American men tend to retire at age 64, and women retire at an average age of 62, as of 2024, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

Now that we have an idea of the "best" retirement age, let's explore the "worst."

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What financial advisors name as the worst retirement age

While leaving the workforce before the target age of 65 might seem nice, it's not always the right move. According to Jacob Sadler, CFP and founder at Curio Wealth, the worst age to retire is 59 1⁄2.

"The real danger is when people will want to target this age, not because they've built a complete plan around that age, but only because it is at that point you can tap into your retirement accounts without penalty," says Sadler, "While avoiding that penalty is great, it is not a reason in and of itself to retire at that point, the rest of your plan needs to work."

Beyond the typical lack of a plan for retirees opting to jump into retirement at age 59 1⁄2, these early retirees face several years before Medicare eligibility kicks in at age 65, and many file for Social Security early to lock in lower monthly senior benefits for their entire retirement.

Plus, "the earlier you retire, the more susceptible you may be to a sequence of poor market returns," says Sadler, which could put a crunch on your retirement nest egg.

Why early retirement can be a risky choice

If you're tempted to jump into early retirement simply because you can access your retirement funds penalty-free at age 59½, then it might not be the right retirement age for you. After all, if the best retirement age is one that you build a plan around, the worst is one that you pick somewhat randomly based on retirement account rules.

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Consider how long your retirement might last

Beyond the lack of a plan, diving into retirement in your 50s likely means your nest egg will need to support decades of retirement.

Americans in their 50s have an average 401(k) balance of $642,696, according to Empower. While that's a substantial nest egg, it's not always enough to cover 30 or 40 years of retirement costs. That's especially true if an early retiree opts to cover increasingly expensive health care costs before being able to tap into Medicare at age 65.

Strategies for picking a retirement age

Before picking out a retirement age, it's important to build out a retirement number. It's a good idea to realistically assess your financial situation and determine how much you'd need to cover a comfortable retirement.

As a general rule of thumb, the 4% rule suggests that you have at least 25 times your annual expenses invested to cover your retirement costs. For example, if you spend $40,000 per year, you'd need to have $1 million invested to support a standard retirement timeline. But if you plan to spend more, you'd need to increase that number accordingly.

Beyond your retirement nest egg, it's helpful to come up with a strategy around your Social Security benefits. Although you can likely take your benefits as early as age 62, claiming your benefits early will result in a permanently smaller monthly check. You'll need to weigh the pros of claiming this income stream early against the possibility of a larger check later in your retirement.

In addition to covering your standard costs, it's helpful to consider your long-term care plans. Unfortunately, the costs of long-term care can throw a wrench into the most carefully laid out retirement plans. For adults aged 65 and older, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation expects 70% to need long-term care at some point.

Signs you're not ready to retire

The right retirement age varies based on your situation. But the worst retirement age is simply when you aren't ready to support yourself for the decades of retirement to come.

A few signs that might indicate you're not ready to retire, even if you want to, include carrying a heavy debt burden, not having a plan for health care costs, and not having a clear idea of where your income would come from in retirement. For those without a solid plan and who are also firmly against taking on any part-time work in their later years, retirement might not be the right move yet.

If you aren't ready for retirement, that doesn't mean you'll never be ready. Start by assessing your finances, seeing where you want to take your retirement nest egg, and building a plan to help you achieve that goal before jumping into retirement.

Retirement News: Almost 80% of Americans fear a retirement age increase — here’s the real reason why

Bottom line

As you map out a retirement plan, landing on the right retirement age can make all the difference. While the right age varies based on your situation, it's often not the traditional 65.

If you aren't sure what the best retirement age is for you, consider meeting with a financial advisor to clarify your goals and map out a plan that works.

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