When to Retire?

“Retirement, like other post-industrial inventions like electricity or television, has become a luxury we’ve come to expect and rely upon,” says the Economist, but it hasn’t always been this way. When Otto von Bismarck first introduced the idea in 19th-century Germany, the age at which one was due to receive state funds was much older than life expectancy. Now that more people are living longer, governments must make a plan. “A later retirement age, indexed to life-expectancy, should be part of any plan,” says the Economist. “This will give individuals more certainty about one significant part of their retirement income and the appropriate retirement age. These facts are necessary to make a good decision about how much you need to save. For most people working longer and saving more is their only shot at a comfortable retirement.”