Early Retirement Planning - Take Your Health As You Age Into Consideration

Early retirement planning should focus more on health, rather than the size of your investment portfolio.

I read an uplifting story on retirement in today's Arizona Republic. I will not elaborate on the specifics...my eye was drawn to a quote from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Eighty percent of the 65 plus population has at least one chronic medical condition: fifty percent have at least two."

I do not know about you but this makes me first glad that I retired at 49 and second why more people do not retire early while they have their health?

When deciding when to retire. Why isn't the reality of declining health as we age discussed more openly? Why is financial planning focused solely on accumulating wealth as the sole determinant as to when you can afford to retire.

I retired at 49 I am now 64 and most would consider me to be in good health, and I am. I work out 5 days a week, play golf 3 times a week and eat right.

However, in the last few years, my knee makes noise when I walk, my lower back hurts more and more, I tire more easily, etc. When I talk with friends my age, and they talk about their aches and pains, I realize I am very lucky...I am not a part of the 80% mentioned above with a chronic illness.

My friends have mostly retired in their 60's..."normal retirement age." Heart problems, diabetes, arthritis, insomnia and stomach problems are just some of the chronic conditions of friends I know and love.

So the next time you sit down and contemplate when you are retiring...stop and think. Would you rather have less cash, spend less and retire: or wait until 65, be rich and be in the 80% of folks in that age group?