The IRS considers "retirement age" to be 59 and a half years old for the purposes of IRA withdrawals. Even if you aren't retired, you are allowed to withdraw money from your account for any reason, and without penalty, after you've reached this age.

However, there are several situations where you can take money out of your IRA penalty-free, even before you reach this age. Here are the most common, and whether it could be a smart idea to take advantage of each.

The IRS allows a one-time early withdrawal from your IRA to put toward a first-time home purchase, in an amount of up to $10,000. And it's important to mention that it doesn't have to be a home purchase for you. In other words, if you want to use your IRA funds to help your child buy their first home, you can use the withdrawal exception for this reason.

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Source Fool.com