Retire early
Can savings carry me from early retirement to Social Security?
The bridge years are the ones between your last paycheck and your first Social Security check. This calculator sizes them and compares every whole-year claiming age.
Last reviewed: September 4, 2026 · model build 20260906-05 · 2026 federal parameters
What this calculator answers
Enter savings at retirement, annual spending in today’s dollars, return, fees, inflation, and — for each person — birth month, retirement age, benefit at full retirement age, and claim age. It projects the portfolio month by month, hands off to Social Security when each person claims, and ranks the claiming combinations by the goal you choose: longest-lasting portfolio, least savings used before benefits, or highest lifetime Social Security.
How to read the results
“Savings used before first check” is the cash drawn from the portfolio during the bridge. A later claim means a bigger check but a longer bridge; the ranking shows whether your portfolio can afford the wait. Spouse top-ups and survivor benefits change the answer materially for couples with unequal earnings records — leave that option on.
Limitations
One accessible portfolio at a steady return; withdrawals are before tax; the retirement earnings test, account access ages, and Monte Carlo market paths are on the full household plan.
Confirm any decision with an official Social Security statement, your plan custodian, and a qualified adviser. See the methodology and changelog for every rule the model applies.
Frequently asked questions
How much do I need to retire at 55?
Enough to cover spending from 55 until Social Security and beyond, plus health insurance before Medicare at 65. Enter your numbers; the calculator reports the first shortfall year for each claiming age.
Should I claim Social Security early to protect my savings?
Claiming at 62 preserves savings but permanently cuts the benefit by up to 30% and reduces a surviving spouse’s check. The ranking table shows the trade-off under your assumptions.
Does the calculator include the earnings test?
Not on this tab. If you will work after claiming before full retirement age, use the full household plan, which withholds checks and recomputes the benefit at full retirement age.
Social Security rules applied
Reductions of 5/9 of 1% per month for the first 36 months before full retirement age and 5/12 of 1% beyond that; delayed credits of 2/3 of 1% per month to age 70; spousal excess benefits under deemed filing; survivor benefits with the widow(er)’s limit and inherited delayed credits; an annual January COLA; and an optional Trustees stress case (78% of scheduled benefits payable from 2032, declining to 62% by 2100).