Think retirement planning starts when you’re a few years away from retiring? Think again.

For many people, some of the first important retirement planning opportunities begin around age 50 — potentially 10, 15 or even more years before their last day of work.

At 50, catch-up contributions become available. By 55 and 59½, different retirement account rules may come into play. Then, in your early 60s, decisions surrounding Social Security, Medicare and IRMAA begin to overlap.

That’s why we like to think of retirement as a timeline, not a single event.

We created this Retirement Timeline to highlight some of the key ages and planning milestones worth having on your radar.

If you’re in your 50s and retirement still feels a long way off, this is exactly when it can be helpful to start paying attention.

Take a look at the timeline and see where you are today.

Fitzgerald Retirement Strategies

Plan well to live your best life.