7 retirement milestones

4. Age 65 – You haven't reached FRA yet for Social Security filing, but you do become eligible for Medicare— and you need to apply during your initial enrollment period (plus or minus three months from the month that you turn 65). If you fail to sign up, your Part B premium may increase by 10% and continue to do so for every 12 months that you fail to enroll.

5. Age 66 – If you were born before 1955, you will reach full retirement age (FRA) at 66. Those born from 1955 to 1959 reach FRA between ages 66 and 67. Once you reach FRA, you can file for Social Security and claim full retirement benefits. You can also choose to delay filing for benefits and gain an extra 8% in annual benefits for each year that you delay your filing.

6. Age 67 – For those born in 1960 or later, the FRA is 67 years. The same rules apply on filing for benefits or delaying them to receive extra benefits. All the increases that you accumulate by delaying your filing apply for as long as you receive Social Security benefits.

7. Age 70 – If you haven't filed for Social Security yet, there's no reason to delay beyond age 70. Waiting beyond age 70 does not earn any extra benefits. Meanwhile, If you have a traditional IRA or 401(k) retirement fund and have not taken any withdrawals out of it yet, you will generally need to start taking out minimum withdrawal amounts (based on your expected lifespan) by April 1 of the year after you turn 70-1/2.

If you are fortunate enough to have a healthy IRA or 401(k) along with significant Social Security benefits, you may want to take out a portion of the retirement funds strategically before minimum withdrawals apply. It all depends on your tax bracket and income at various stages. Consult a tax professional if that situation applies to you.

Regardless of when — or if — you decide to retire, it's wise to review your retirement plansperiodically as life circumstances change. You do not even need to wait until the milestone ages listed above. Adjust your retirement plans occasionally before retirement in order to avoid unpleasant adjustments after retirement.

Let the free MoneyTips Retirement Plannerhelp you calculate when you can retire without jeopardizing your lifestyle.

Originally Posted at: http://www.moneytips.com/7-retirement-milestones

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