Illustrative only: This is a fictional household and does not show a real client result, guarantee, or personalized recommendation.
At a glance
Household: Karen, age 61 — fictional and illustrative
Option A: Retire at 62 and claim Social Security early
Option B: Work part-time through 64 and delay Social Security
The decision
Karen wanted more time now, but she also wanted to understand how two more years of earnings and a later benefit claim could change the pressure on her portfolio.
What changed in the comparison
The later-date option added two years of earnings, reduced the first years of portfolio withdrawals, and increased her monthly Social Security benefit. The retire-now option preserved more time away from work but required the plan to cover more bridge years.
The real tradeoff
The model did not declare one answer “right.” It made the cost of each choice visible: time and flexibility now versus a stronger income floor later.