If you\u2019re planning for retirement, you probably have a date in mind. You\u2019ve also probably planned out your celebrations.<\/p>\n
But hold on to that celebratory confetti. For many senior professionals, retirement doesn\u2019t come with a dramatic announcement on a specific day. It creeps up slowly and quietly. The signals are subtle, but after a few months, they become unavoidable, and you\u2019re sometimes pushed into retirement earlier than you expected.<\/p>\n
In fact, about 52% of people in a 2025 survey told the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies they retired earlier than planned [1]. If you\u2019re wondering if you might be one of those early retirees, here are five surefire signs that you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s be honest, it\u2019s rare to be enthusiastic about your work, regardless of age. As of 2024, only 31% of employees reported feeling engaged at work, according to Gallup [2].<\/p>\n
But older employees tend to be more enthusiastic about their careers. Nearly 67% of workers 65 and over admitted that they found their job enjoyable or fulfilling, according to Pew Research [3]. So, if you\u2019re in this age group and feel more detached from your profession, maybe it\u2019s a sign that you\u2019ve outgrown the rat race and are ready for a different pace.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re young and ambitious, every promotion and salary increase feels like a milestone. But when you\u2019re older (and wealthier), these highlights can feel less significant.<\/p>\n
If your nest egg is worth multiple millions of dollars, a 5% raise probably won\u2019t move the needle much. That\u2019s the same with a new promotion or job title in your 50s or 60s. It can sound like more stress and responsibility.<\/p>\n
If stepping up to the next rung of the career ladder has lost its appeal, maybe it\u2019s time to step off entirely.<\/p>\n
During your career, you\u2019ve probably been building up your 401(k) and IRA without paying much attention. Once you have a steady job and an automated savings plan, it doesn\u2019t make much sense to check your accounts every day or week.<\/p>\n
But if you do find yourself increasingly worried about your nest egg, it could be a signal that you\u2019re subconsciously preparing for retirement. After all, these funds are potentially your only lifeline after your worklife is over. So, if you\u2019ve checked your 401(k) balance recently and it\u2019s close enough to your target, consider putting your mind at ease and call it your last day.<\/p>\n
Read More: The average net worth of Americans is a surprising $620,654. But it almost means nothing. Here\u2019s the number that counts (and how to make it skyrocket)<\/a><\/p>\n After previously claiming he would never retire, investment legend Warren Buffett finally decided to step down as Chairman at Berkshire Hathaway in 2025. His announcement came as a surprise to shareholders, but the billionaire said the decision was based on signs that his body couldn’t keep pace with the rat race anymore [4].<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t really start getting old, for some strange reason, until I was about 90,\u201d the 95-year-old told The Wall Street Journal. \u201cBut when you start getting old \u2026 it\u2019s irreversible.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, if you feel like your body isn\u2019t cooperating or that your commute feels more tiring than usual, these may be signs that it\u2019s time to slow down. Retiring once you see the onset of aging may be a good way to enjoy your twilight years.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re spending more time thinking about family or getting involved with a local non-profit, it could be a side effect of being ready for the next chapter.<\/p>\n Close to 59% of retirees admitted they were spending more time with their family and friends after the workday. About 39% said they were pursuing new hobbies during idle time [1]. If that lifestyle sounds more appealing than spending time in a boardroom, maybe it\u2019s time to loosen the tie and quit. You may miss out on a few extra years of savings, but every moment with your loved ones is worth the sacrifice.<\/p>\n We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n PR Newswire (1<\/a>); Gallup (2<\/a>); Pew Research (3<\/a>); CNBC (4<\/a>).<\/p>\n This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re planning for retirement, you probably have a date in mind. You\u2019ve also probably planned out your…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":418884,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[45,49,48,4190,175802,133,90,131,132,154025],"class_list":{"0":"post-418883","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-dave-ramsey","12":"tag-dramatic-announcement","13":"tag-finance","14":"tag-jeff-bezos","15":"tag-personal-finance","16":"tag-personalfinance","17":"tag-pew-research"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=418883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/418884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=418883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=418883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=418883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}