Editor’s note: "The Rule of 55" is part eight of an ongoing series focused on how to retire early and the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. Part One is How to Retire Early in Six ...

For many Americans, the dream of retiring early is often hindered by the IRS’s 10% early withdrawal penalty on distributions from retirement accounts like IRAs or 401(k)s before age 59.5. However, the ...

Editor’s note: This article is part 10 of a series on how to retire early and the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. Part one is How to Retire Early in Six Steps. To see all early ...

Retiring early with a 401(k) requires understanding how to access funds before the standard retirement age without triggering heavy penalties. This involves leveraging strategies like Rule 72(t) ...

If you try to withdraw early from just about any retirement plan, you'll be slapped with a penalty—an incentive to leave your money alone and let it build toward retirement like you always intended.

If you try to withdraw early from just about any retirement plan, you'll be slapped with a penalty—an incentive to leave your money alone and let it build toward retirement like you always intended.

If you’ve been saving for retirement, you’ve probably wondered: when can I actually take money out of my 401(k) without paying penalties? The IRS has very specific 401(k) withdrawal rules, and ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Host of the Retire Sooner podcast and CFP™ practitioner. Many investors gain penalty-free access to retirement accounts at age 59½ ...