Sep 1, 2025
For many, retiring early is a dream. Roughly 59% of American adults surveyed by YouGov in 2024 said they would like to retire before the age of 65.
But if you’re part of the 41% who are still considering a traditional retirement age, there could be plenty of reasons to reconsider.
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Here are three surprising statistics that could change the way you look at your golden years and retirement plans.
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Healthy life expectancy is just 64 years
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average life expectancy in the U.S. is 76.4. years. However, just because the average person reaches this age doesn’t mean they enjoy those years.
The healthy life expectancy in America is just 63.9, according to the WHO. After that, you’re more likely to suffer from chronic medical issues that can leave you unable to easily enjoy your golden years.
If you plan to retire at age 65, you’ve already crossed this threshold. You might be healthier and in better shape than many of your peers, but your chances of needing medical attention have significantly ticked up at this age.
If you’re interested in retiring early, or already plan to, this statistic may help you make your decision. While not everyone will develop chronic health conditions later in life, some may want to avoid finding themselves finally retired but with less enjoyable time left than expected. Retiring as early as possible could give you more time to enjoy your time pursuing activities or spending time with family.
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Most people spend 90,000 hours at work
Andrew Naber, a data scientist who graduated from Gettysburg College, calculated that most Americans spend a total of 90,000 hours at work during the course of their career. That’s a lot of time that you’ll never reclaim.
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Sometimes it takes a new perspective to realize how things can add up over the years, but with only 24 hours in a day, 90,000 hours spent at work in a lifetime sounds like a lot.
For some people, this may rally them toward spending more of those remaining hours retired as early as possible. If you work 35 hours a week, retiring just 5 years early could give you a chance to reclaim roughly 9,100 hours.
With CruiseBooking reporting that the typical world cruise is about 120 days, that’s enough time to take a world cruise roughly three times.
Early retirement can reduce depression
The circumstances under which you retire could have a big impact on your mental health. That’s according to a study published in the Global Health Research and Policy journal. Those who retired under positive circumstances with aspirational reasons reduced their risk of depression. Whereas those who retired under negative circumstances had worse mental health outcomes.
Retiring by choice while you’re still relatively young and healthy could reduce your risk of depression. But if you wait too long, you increase the chances of being pushed out of the workforce involuntarily, whether that’s due to an issue that might arise with your physical health, or something else.
Taking control of your destiny and retiring on your own terms is one way to have a smoother retirement. For some, this means retiring early.
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What about the money?
Although 59% of Americans want to retire early, only 40% of them believe they can actually pull it off, according to YouGov. This gap could be the result of economic anxieties and the rising cost of living. No one wants to retire without a robust financial safety net.
The fear of outliving your money is real. But you may be overestimating it. According to the EBRI’s Retirement Readiness Rating™ (RRR), 59.9% of individuals between the ages of 35 and 64 are not projected to run out of money in retirement.
Even if you’re convinced you’re not part of this safe cohort, there are ways to boost financial security despite early retirement. Consider moving to a state or country with a lower cost of living or tightening your post-retirement budget to push your nest egg further.
A financial advisor can also help you set a realistic timeline and build a strategy to reach it, whether that means retiring early or simply choosing the age that works best for you. With a clear plan, you can work toward your goals and step into retirement on your own terms, ready to enjoy the years you’ve been planning for.
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Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
