No doubt about it, retirement is a significant life event. Transitioning from your 9-5 will take a lot of planning and preparation, and the sooner you start planning (and saving) for it, the better.
Whether you’re a young adult just starting to think about retirement, or an experienced professional getting closer to the date itself, there are important steps you should take to plan ahead. It’s important to evaluate your financial situation today, have an idea of what you want retirement to look like, and make financial plans and adjustments to ensure you can enjoy your retirement comfortably.
Here are some steps you can take to clean up your retirement plan at any age.
Assess Your Current Financial Situation
The first step in planning for retirement is to understand where your finances are at today. Jot down your income, your expenses, your debts, and savings. What wiggle room do you have to put more toward retirement? What debts do you need to pay down? Do you own a home or other assets you might want to sell? Getting the big picture of your current situation will give you an idea of where you stand financially and what steps you need to take to prepare for retirement. You may want to seek advice from a professional financial planner, especially if you are nearing retirement.
Set Retirement Goals
The next step is to set retirement goals. Building a picture of the retirement you want can help you understand how much money you’ll need to save up. Start with these key questions:
- When do you want to retire? Consider potential social security benefits in this decision – you can start claiming benefits at age 62, but you may want to delay retirement until age 67 or even 70 get full benefits. The earlier you retire, the more years you’ll spend living off retirement income and savings.
- Do you want a working retirement? Some people plan to keep working for a while after retiring, to earn additional income and stay engaged. Do you plan to be a consultant, or take on a part-time gig doing something fun? Or do you plan to wash your hands of the working life for good?
- What lifestyle do you want? Are you planning to live in the same house, or are you thinking of moving to a lower-cost location? Will you need a car? Will you be taking lots of trips, or taking on expensive hobbies?
Create a Retirement Budget
Now that you have an idea of where you are and where you want to be, it’s time to make a retirement budget. This process involves estimating the amount of money you will need to cover your expenses during retirement, including living expenses, healthcare costs, and any other expenses you may have.
By creating a retirement budget, you can determine how much money you need to save for retirement and adjust your savings and investment strategies accordingly. A budget can also help you identify areas where you may need to cut back on expenses or increase your retirement savings to meet your goals.
Maximize Retirement Savings
One of the most important things you can do to prepare for retirement is to maximize your retirement savings. Check on your employer’s retirement plan, and make sure you’re contributing enough to receive any match they offer. Adding an IRA can give you another avenue to contribute to your savings. A financial planner can help you plan the best mix of accounts to save up.
Invest Wisely
Investing wisely is crucial for ensuring that you achieve your retirement goals. By investing your savings, you can earn a return on your money, which can help you grow your retirement nest egg over time. Your investment strategy should consider your age, retirement timeline, income, and expenses. If you’re nervous about playing the investment game, never fear! You don’t need to be an expert to grow your savings today. There are lots of simple, effective, affordable investment tools available today. You can also set your risk tolerance to fit your situation – younger investors may want to consider higher-risk portfolios, which tend to have higher returns. Those closer to retirement may want a lower-risk plan. A financial planner or investment advisor can help you evaluate the various investment options available to you and select the ones best suited for your needs.
Consider Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance is designed to safeguard your retirement savings in case you require long-term care. It covers the expenses associated with long-term care services, such as nursing home care, home health care, and assisted living facilities. While we all hope to be hale and healthy until our 90s, there’s a good chance you’ll need some living assistance at some point. Planning ahead for that possibility can ensure your family doesn’t have to make tough financial decisions.
Create a Retirement Income Strategy
Finally, it’s vital to create a retirement income strategy. This involves determining how you’ll generate income in retirement and managing your retirement savings to provide a steady income stream throughout your retirement years. One important consideration when developing a retirement income strategy is retirement timing. You may choose to retire gradually or all at once, and the timing of your retirement can affect the amount of retirement income you will need. Other factors affecting your retirement income include your health status and expected expenses.
Rinse and Repeat
While planning for retirement early is a wonderful way to start, you’ll need to revisit that retirement plan regularly to make sure it’s still right for you. Times change, you change, and your retirement plan needs to change sometimes, too. Consider setting aside time every year to look at your plan and make adjustments as needed. And as retirement gets closer, plan to sit down with an expert to make sure you’re on the right track.
Retirement planning can seem overwhelming, but some resources can help simplify the process. It’s essential to start planning for retirement early to give yourself enough time to save and invest for retirement. By taking the steps outlined above, you can create a retirement plan that reflects your goals and provides financial security in retirement.
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Sources:
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/retirement-planning-an-introduction
https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/baby-boomers/articles/how-to-create-a-retirement-budget
https://mycreditunion.gov/life-events/aging-managing-finances/long-term-care
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