In today’s society, retirement age is based less on age part than it is on financial resources and the ability to survive the financial limitations of retirement. For some amazing wonders, that may be the ripe old age of 35, while the majority of hard working individuals are now looking into their seventies before retirement becomes a possibility.

Retirement age, according to the governmental standard, is slowly creeping up on the early to mid seventies, while it was once considered prime to retire around fifty five or sixty. However, the government realized that it would not be able to support the vast quantities of retirees and decided the fastest way to delay the upset would be to force people to rely on their own resources of they decided to retire before the government is willing to contribute to their retirement.

In the majority of first world countries, retirement age can be supported by government benefits between the ages of fifty five and sixty five. In the United States, only those who can support their own retirement have the capability to retire before the age of sixty eight or later. This means that those who are able to put away a substantial sum of money in significantly diversified investments are able to retire early enough to enjoy it. Statistically speaking, in the United States the average man retires and dies within eighteen months.

Where does this leave those who are seeking to retire at a reasonable age? Usually in the hands of a financial planner. Retirement planning can begin at any age, however, those who participate in retirement planning from their early thirties or before with the assistance of a professional are able to retire within 5 years of their sixtieth birthday.

Retirement planning is no longer just about making sure that there is enough money to maintain a lifestyle that have been achieved while working. It is now also about planning financially for recreation, sometimes in vast amounts, as well as long term care, emergency illness, and estate planning. Estate planning is particularly important in those states that have a death tax.

For the greater majority, retirement dreams remain just that. The dreams that most people are quietly saving for retirement are usually in heavy competition with other facts of life that are significant risk factors after the age of fifty, especially illness. It is an unfortunate fact that a great many people over the age of fifty have to make a choice between early retirement and their health.

Retirement can happen at any age. Those who don’t rely on the government for any assistance (which makes it a nice surprise when they receive some benefits) are the ones who retire earlier than those who are looking to the government to hold up their end of the bargain. Retirement can happen at any age as long as it can be financially supported. Statistics also show that those who retire earlier live longer and are healthier during their retirement than those who retire after the age of sixty eight.