If you have a pension, of course you can retire young. But this is not common. You most likely worked for the government in some fashion, and that's a whole other ballgame. Pensions are rare today and getting rarer. If you worked in government or taught or whatever, you probably are in a bubble of people who worked similar jobs. Make no mistake: If you have a pension, you are in a significantly different position than most. That's great for you. I'm happy for you. But your story is unusual.