5 Countries Projected to Have the Most Early Retirees

As health care science and technology improve, we expect to live longer and healthier lives. We might also expect to retire later — because we’ll have to save more money to enjoy our extra years.

A recent analysis by Our Life Plan, a British retirement and estate planning website, took a look at those assumptions for dozens of OECD member countries, including the United States.

Its study of the rising age of retirement and life expectancy discovered that the average lifespan will have increased by four years by 2050. But the average retirement age will only increase by a couple of years in the next few decades in many of the countries examined. In some countries, people will even be retiring sooner than they do now.

Unfortunately, the U.S. isn’t one of those where retirement will be happening sooner. We rank 23rd (out of 36) for the projected average retirement age in 2050: 69.64.

Following are the countries where people are expected to be retiring earliest in 2050.

5. Austria

Projected average retirement age in 2050: 63.28

Projected average retirement age in 2025: 61.22

While Austria’s average retirement age is expected to rise about two years by 2050, its average life expectancy will rise nearly six years over the same period to 89.68. We previously noted the German-speaking nation as one of the cheapest and safest for retirees.

4. Luxembourg

Projected average retirement age in 2050: 63.17

Projected average retirement age in 2025: 60.97

The average retirement age in Luxembourg is expected to rise by 2.2 years by 2050. However, the average life expectancy will rise to 92.89 — an almost eight-year increase. No wonder Luxembourg is one of the happiest countries on Earth.

3. France

Projected average retirement age in 2050: 61.78

Projected average retirement age in 2025: 60.39

The French will enjoy a relatively small shift in retirement age between now and 2050 — just 1.39 years, on average. Meanwhile, the average life expectancy will climb to 90.83 by 2050, about a six-year gain over 2025. We reported it as one of “The 10 Best Countries to Retire Overseas in 2021.”

2. Poland

Projected average retirement age in 2050: 61.49

Projected average retirement age in 2025: 60.94

In Poland, the average retirement age will be pushed back only a little more than six months by 2050. Coupled with that impressive feat, life expectancy will increase about seven years over the same period.

Poland also ranked No. 2 in “The 10 Best Countries for Pensions,” thanks in part to the fact all Polish workers receive one.

1. Greece

Projected average retirement age in 2050: 57.21

Projected average retirement age in 2025: 59.74

At the top of the list is Greece, which is expected to somehow manage to lower its average retirement age by more than two years by 2050. Life expectancy is expected to rise to 87.54 over that period, more than four years beyond the 2025 estimate.

Taken together, that’s more than six extra years to enjoy life in a spectacularly beautiful corner of the world.