Delaying retirement can be a major sacrifice, especially if you’re eager to leave behind the working world and start enjoying a life of leisure as a senior. But it’s also a sacrifice worth making in many cases.
There are five huge benefits of putting off your departure from your job, all of which should be carefully considered before you decide to give notice.
Image source: Getty Images.
The longer you wait to start your Social Security checks, the higher they’ll be — up until age 70. Claiming at your full retirement age (FRA) — which is between 66 and four months and 67 depending when you were born — can result in up to a 30% increase in benefits compared with starting checks at 62. And for each year you delay claiming benefits beyond FRA, you’ll get an additional 8% benefits bump until age 70.
You don’t necessarily have to delay retirement to put off making a Social Security claim. You could choose to leave the workforce without claiming your benefits — but only if you have plenty of money saved to cover all your expenses during the years you aren’t getting either a paycheck or a Social Security check.
Working longer gives you more time to earn income and invest in tax-advantaged retirement plans such as a 401(k) or IRA.
You can grow your nest egg for more years with help from Uncle Sam and from your employer if you get a 401(k) match. The more years you invest, the more wealth you can build to live on later in life.
Chances are good your employer provides more than just a salary. You may have health insurance through your company, as well as other benefits such as the above-mentioned 401(k) match. Some people even get perks such as paid gym memberships, student loan reimbursement assistance, or access to company cars.
If you get any of these generous benefits, it may make sense to work a little longer to keep taking advantage of them. Once you quit, you may find that health insurance is expensive and not as comprehensive as your employer plan — and that you end up spending a lot of money to replace other benefits your company may have offered.
Many employers pay a pension that’s based on your years of service and salary.
If you work longer, you can raise the amount of income that pension provides by putting in more years. If you’ve moved up the ladder and get raises each year you work, you’ll also boost the amount of your pension by staying on the job for more years at your higher pay rate later in your career.
Finally, if you put off retiring, you don’t need to start withdrawing from your investment account as soon. The longer you wait to begin making withdrawals, the less chance there is of running short late in life, since they’ll be fewer years your savings needs to support you.
Each of these five reasons can, by itself, be solid justification for working a few extra years longer than anticipated. Together, they show just how financially beneficial a delayed retirement can be.
The $16,728 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook
If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,728 more… each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we’re all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.
The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
