Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTVawn HimmelsbachThu, September 17, 2026 at 12:20 PM GMT+2 6 min readPATRICK MCMULLAN/Patrick McMullan via Getty ImagesFor many Americans, retirement age is an arbitrary number. Maybe you're aiming to retire early, in your 50s. Maybe you're planning to retire at 65, because that's often considered the traditional retirement age.But there's another number worth focusing on, and that could be a better determinant of when to retire.Must ReadJeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being oneDave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake.