This Could Be Your Best Retirement Account if You Plan to Retire in Your Mid-50s

Retiring in your mid-50s is tough to pull off, but if you do it, you'll be rewarded with years more free time to pursue your hobbies, travel the world, or spend time with family and friends. You'll need a lot of savings to get there, but it takes more than that.

You also need the right strategy to get around the early withdrawal penalty on most retirement accounts. Otherwise, you'll pay the IRS 10% of every withdrawal you make under age 59 1/2. Fortunately, there is one type of retirement account that makes it easy to avoid that.

Image source: Getty Images.

Your 401(k) has a little-known loophole

Your 401(k) gives you several exceptions to the early withdrawal penalty. For example, you can take early withdrawals for large medical expenses without triggering the penalty. However, you will still pay ordinary income tax on the money if it comes from a traditional 401(k).

There's another exception that's especially important for those planning to retire in their mid-50s: the Rule of 55. This says that if you retire in the year you turn 55 (or 50 if you're a public safety worker, like a police officer or air traffic controller), you can take penalty-free withdrawals from your most recent employer's 401(k) only.

This does not give you license to access any other 401(k)s from past jobs or any IRAs in your name early. You will still face the 10% penalty if you take money out of these accounts under age 59 1/2 without a qualifying exemption.

How to leverage the Rule of 55 to retire early

You may already be saving in your 401(k), and if so, you probably just need to keep doing what you're doing. The key is to make sure you have at least enough money in that account to cover all of your out-of-pocket expenses between the time you retire and when you turn 59 1/2. After that, you'll have free access to your other retirement accounts as well.

If you have old 401(k)s you'd like early access to as well, check whether your current 401(k) allows rollovers from other plans. If it does, you can roll that money into your current plan, and then you'll be able to access those funds in the year you turn 55, too.

It's best to avoid rolling your most recent employer's 401(k) over into an IRA, at least until you turn 59 1/2. You won't be able to undo this, and you'll miss the opportunity to take advantage of the Rule of 55 if you do.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.