, Columnist
Early Retirement Is Tempting Now. Don’t Do It.
Why not let the pandemic accelerate a decision that was just over the horizon anyway? Here’s why.
Not yet.
Photographer: Yoshiyoshi Hirokawa/Digital VisionThis article is for subscribers only.
The coronavirus is tempting those of a certain age to stop working. Some financial advisers report that they’re hearing from older clients who’ve grown accustomed to staying home and are worried about commuting and returning to crowded workspaces. If they were planning on retiring in the next couple of years, their thinking goes, why not just pull the trigger now?
For most Americans, even wealthy ones, the answer is clear: Don’t do it. The financial benefits of continuing to work, even for one more year as the pandemic crushes the economy, outweigh the health risks for most people.