Retire Now or Wait for Medicare?

For those with strong savings, retiring before Medicare is less about cost and more about readiness.

With millions saved, the real challenge of retiring before Medicare isn’t affordability—it’s confidence. Lordn/Shutterstock

By Maurie Backman From Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

There’s a reason many older Americans wait until 65 to retire. Medicare eligibility generally begins at age 65, and since so many people get health insurance through their jobs, waiting until then can set the stage for a less stressful transition, financially speaking.