More Americans Taking Early Retirement Instead of Delaying Retirement

In a poll sponsored in December by CareerBuilder, 60 percent of American workers over 60 stated that they plan to delay retirement.

A larger than expected number of American workers are retiring early, however, many of them believed to be laid-off workers, according to report in the Los Angeles Times.

Early retirement claims are up 25 percent from last year with more people choosing to retire at age 62 instead of 66, said Stephen C. Goss, chief actuary for the U.S. Social Security Administration.

The surge in younger American retirees dispels expectations that older people who suffered financial losses in the recession would delay early retirement and work longer to rebuild their assets.

Here are three retirement resources to help you retire early.

• Prosper During a Recession
  
• The Friendship Café
  
• The Money Café