Imagine reaching your 62nd birthday with enough money to retire, but knowing another five years at work could leave you considerably better off financially. Do you take the money and run while you’re healthy enough to enjoy retirement, or keep collecting paychecks until 67 and potentially buy yourself more financial security later? For people turning 62 in 2026, the choice lines up neatly with Social Security because 67 is their full retirement age. The financial argument for retiring at 67 vs. 62 can be powerful, but retirement isn’t simply a contest to accumulate the biggest possible account balance. Before giving five more years to your job, it helps to understand exactly what those years could buy—and what they could cost.
