Why I Chose to Retire at 55 and What It Taught Me About Life and Money

Retirement, for many, is a destination—a financial milestone marked by corpus targets, withdrawal strategies, and asset allocation. For me, it became something deeper: a conscious life design, an emotional anchor, and a reflection of the partnership I share with my wife. As I step down from my role at PGIM India AMC this August 31, 2025, I find myself reflecting not just on the numbers that made this decision possible—but on the clarity, collaboration, and commitment that shaped it.

- By: Ajit Menon CEO, PGIM, India AMC

When the Goal Became Real

The idea of retiring at 55 wasn't a lifelong ambition. It took shape around 12 years ago, when my wife and I sat down with our financial advisor to map out our family's financial plan. What began as a conversation around goals quickly evolved into a framework for living with purpose. We listed our life goals—not just the obvious ones like education, home, and retirement, but even things like a pension plan for our longtime housekeeper. Every asset, every rupee of income, was allocated consciously. We sold some properties, cleared our loans, and made small but significant lifestyle choices that allowed us to save more without feeling like we were sacrificing.

The age of 55 was simply a placeholder initially— something that gave structure to our plan. But the more we aligned our decisions with that vision, the more achievable it felt. In the end, it wasn't the goal that changed our lives—it was the process of planning. And that's my biggest takeaway: the financial planning process is the real hero, not just the spreadsheet or the projections.

Retirement Is a Design, not a Deadline

People often ask me if there was a “defining moment” that made me choose early retirement. The truth is, there wasn't. I've loved my job, my colleagues, and the asset management industry. I still do. But I've also had passions outside of work—creative pursuits, community engagement, time in nature. I didn't want to wait until I was too tired or too late to pursue them meaningfully.