Can you really retire at 62 with $1.5 million… and stay retired?

Can you really retire at 62 with $1.5 million… and stay retired? In this episode of The Retirement Income Lab with Patrick Huey, CFP®, we put a real‑world scenario under the microscope. Our test couple, “Mark and Lisa,” are both 60, have saved $1.5M in their 401(k)s, IRAs, and brokerage accounts, and want to retire in just two years. They spend about $90,000 per year after taxes and are wondering the same thing you might be:• Is $1.5 million enough to retire comfortably?• What changes if we retire at 62 vs. 65?• How do health insurance and Medicare affect our retirement date?• What withdrawal rate is actually sustainable for a 30‑year retirement?In this video, you’ll learn:• How to estimate how much income you really need in retirement (after taxes).• Why retiring at 62 usually means higher health insurance costs until Medicare at 65—and why that’s a big deal.• How different withdrawal rates (3%, 4%, 4.5%+) impact a $1.5M portfolio.• How Social Security timing (claiming at 62 vs. later) changes your retirement income picture.• The risk of “sequence of returns” if markets drop early in retirement.• Why working just a few more years can dramatically improve your odds of retiring confidently.If you’re a high‑saving professional within about 5 years of retirement (or just into it), this kind of stress test is exactly what you should be doing before you pick a retirement date.👨‍💼 About The Retirement Income Lab I’m Patrick Huey, CFP®, and owner of Victory Independent Planning. I work with high‑saving professionals nationwide who are close to or have recently retired, helping them turn their portfolios into paychecks they can actually live on.🔎 Want to stress‑test your own retirement income plan? Schedule a VIP Retirement Income Lab Assessment:https://VictoryIndependentPlanning.com/contactWe’ll help you:• Map your real after‑tax spending needs• Compare retiring at 62 vs. 65 (and beyond)• Factor in health insurance costs before Medicare• Optimize Social Security timing• Evaluate whether your savings are enough to retire and stay retired⏱ Timestamps00:00 – Can you retire at 62 with $1.5M?01:05 – Meet Mark & Lisa: age 60, $1.5M saved02:40 – How much income they really need (after tax)04:00 – What different withdrawal rates look like on $1.5M05:00 – Scenario A: Retiring at 62 (and paying for health insurance)08:10 – The cost of retiring before Medicare at 6510:30 – Scenario B: Working to 65 and going straight onto Medicare13:00 – Social Security timing and lifetime income15:00 – Withdrawal rates, sequence risk, and confidence17:30 – Key takeaways for anyone near $1.5M18:30 – How to get your own Retirement Income Lab Assessment LIKE. SHARE. SUBSCRIBE.✅ If this video helped you:• Hit LIKE to let the algorithm know it’s useful• SUBSCRIBE to The Retirement Income Lab for weekly retirement income case studies• COMMENT with your questions about retiring at 62, health insurance before 65, or withdrawal ratesGive this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed watching.#retirement #retirementplanning #retireearly #retirementincome #financialplanning #CFP #retireat62 #401k #IRA #medicare #healthinsurance #socialsecurity #sequenceofreturns #withdrawalstrategy #VictoryIndependentPlanning #RetirementIncomeLab This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hl4tmi.substack.com