Treat retirement and Social Security as two decisions
Leaving work and claiming Social Security can happen at different times. Comparing 62, 67, and 70 is more useful when the retirement date, benefit start date, spending, and health coverage are shown separately.
What an earlier date can require
An earlier retirement can mean more years funded by savings before benefits begin, along with more time for spending, healthcare, and market returns to affect the plan. That does not make it wrong; it makes the bridge years important to model.
What working or waiting can change
Additional earnings, contributions, fewer withdrawal years, and a different Social Security benefit can all change the comparison. Use the same spending and risk assumptions across dates so the difference is visible.
Compare your retirement dates privately
Use the interactive demo to test a retire-now and work-longer scenario with your own assumptions. No account is required to begin.
Educational only: This is general information, not individualized investment, tax, legal, or financial advice.