8 Fun and Fulfilling Ways to Retire by Age 50 Early retirement is a real option that more people are pursuing. You can do this if you are willing to work hard.
By Christopher Massimine Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It's never too late to start saving for early retirement, but the sooner you start saving and investing your money, the more time it will have to grow.
If you want to retire by age 50, you need to be willing to work hard and be creative. You must take risks, manage your money well and make sacrifices. The key is that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. There are no shortcuts or easy options that can get you there in a short amount of time.
If you're already in your 40s and haven't begun saving yet, do not worry. The important thing is that now is the time to start saving as much as possible so that by the time you reach 50 years old — or even sooner — you'll have enough for whatever life throws at you after work.
Related: 17 Habits of Self-Made Millionaires Who Retired Early
Here are the actionable steps you'll need to help you reach your goal:
1. Estimate how much you'll need to retire
The amount of money you'll need to retire comfortably at age 50 will depend on various factors, including your lifestyle and the cost of living in the area where you plan to retire. Start by calculating how much income you will need each month during retirement.
You can calculate how much you can safely withdraw each year by using the 4% rule. This rule is based on historical returns of the S&P 500, as well as inflation data and other factors. It isn't a guarantee, but it's a good rule of thumb for how much money to take out of your savings in retirement.
To calculate your safe withdrawal rate, multiply the size of your savings by 0.04 (4%). That figure represents the amount you should withdraw each year once you retire if you want to maintain the same purchasing power throughout your life without needing more income from working or other sources. For example: If you're 40 years old with $200,000 in savings, then multiplying $200,000 by .04 results in an annual withdrawal of $8,000 per year — a pretty solid number for a beginning retiree.
Related: Want to Retire Early? Do This One Thing.
2. Create a financial plan
The next step towards retiring early is to create a comprehensive financial plan that outlines your income and expenses, debts, investments and long-term retirement goals. This will help you figure out how much money you need to save to reach your goal of retiring at 50.
Take into account other sources of income that could supplement savings, such as rental properties, passive income or inheritances and factor them into your plan as well. Also, consider potential future expenses like educational tuition and healthcare costs. Estimate how much you will need for each expense and include them in the calculations for total retirement savings.
3. Make saving a priority
Once you know how much money you'll need, work backward to figure out how much you need to save to reach your goal. There are two main types of savings: emergency savings ("rainy day" funds) and investment funds (like retirement plans). Emergency savings should be kept in a safe place where they can't be stolen or lost if something goes wrong with your bank account — for example, a high-yield online bank account or cash under your mattress at home. This money is for unexpected expenses like medical bills or travel expenses that pop up when you least expect them.
Determine how much you can contribute towards retirement, taking into account any employer match programs or tax incentives that may be available. You should prioritize saving for retirement by setting aside money each month into savings or investment accounts such as IRAs or 401(k)s. Consider increasing the contribution rates you have set for yourself and make sure that you are taking full advantage of employer contributions. Also, be sure to research the options available and choose the most appropriate for your current financial situation.
4. Reduce your expenses
Cutting down on luxury expenses and other non-essential items will help you save more monthly money, which can be used towards retirement savings. Consider reducing eating out, getting ride shares instead of owning a car or eliminating expensive gym memberships if possible.
Related: 4 Things You Need to Think About Before You Retire Early
5. Clear your debt
Paying down any outstanding debt should be high on your list of priorities; high-interest rates can drastically reduce potential savings if left unchecked, so focus on paying them off quickly while still investing regularly for retirement goals. Make sure you understand all the terms associated with each loan before signing anything — this includes knowing exact payments amounts, interest rates and length of repayment periods — this will ensure that you won't get caught off guard by unexpected fees down the line if you ever find yourself unable to make payments on time due to an emergency or other unforeseen circumstance.
Related: 5 Strategies for Reducing Overall Business Debt
6. Invest wisely
When investing for retirement, it's important to have a diversified portfolio that contains a mix of stocks, bonds, mutual funds and cash investments. You should also be mindful of risk tolerance and ensure that your chosen investments match your personal goals and objectives. Investing in low-cost indexes or mutual funds is one of the best ways to grow your wealth over time. Ensure you consider inflation when investing so you don't get left behind as prices rise over time.
Diversifying your investments is the best way to protect yourself against a downturn in the market. This means spreading your money across multiple asset classes, such as stocks, bonds and cash.
But diversification isn't a magic bullet. It's important to remember that even if you're diversified across all three of these categories, you will still lose money as some assets fall and others rise. Historically speaking, in some years, no single category performs particularly well or poorly at all; it's just that they tend to move together overall based on market conditions over time.
7. Set up a budget
A good way to stay on track with retirement savings is to create a budget and stick to it. Track your expenses, set financial goals and review your progress regularly. Doing so will help ensure that you meet your retirement savings goals while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle.
Related: How to Become a Millionaire and Retire Young
8. Reevaluate regularly
Track progress throughout your working life; consider increasing savings rate if possible or revise goals if circumstances have changed unexpectedly due to an emergency situation or other unforeseen event.
Retiring by age 50 is an ambitious goal, but it can be achieved with the right plan and dedication. By creating a comprehensive financial plan that outlines your income and expenses, reducing non-essential items from your budget and investing wisely, you will be able to reach this milestone. While it may take some time for all of these steps to come together, taking the first step towards retirement planning today will put you on track for achieving financial freedom at a younger age than most people are used to. So start preparing now!
