[pradn]

A dollar earned when you're 20 will be more valuable than a dollar earned later in your career if invested til retirement. Maybe it's good to build up a financial cushion and also your skills in your early career? Your financial risk may be lower later (from a retirement/wealth-building perspective) and your chance of success higher because of better skills and experience. Of course, people later in their careers usually have more responsibilities and higher incomes, so the cost may be higher then, too.

[jakecopp]

I imagine if you fail in your 20s, you might have to work longer before you can retire.

Though, if you fail at an older age and you are in the situation where there isn't much margin between your salary and mortgage (and supporting family), failure isn't as easy.