Where do you stand with your retirement planning? If you haven’t started, feel behind, or just want a few extra tips, prepare yourself for some helpful advice. While retirement planning may not be the easiest thing in the world, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy it when you make it there.
You should save as early as you can for your retirement. When you start saving early, your money has that much more time to grow for you. If you wait until your middle-age, you may need to save more per year just to make sure that you will have enough money after you retire.
You need to figure out what exactly you think your retirement will cost you. Studies have shown that most Americans need about 75 percent of what they make in income to help them when they retire. That means 75 percent of what you’re earning at this time. If you are in the lower tax bracket, you may need 90 percent of your income to retire.
Prepare yourself mentally for retirement, because the change can hit you really hard. While you might be looking forward to all that rest and relaxation, many people become depressed when they stop working. Schedule yourself some useful activities, and do things that keep you feeling like you’ve got a concrete purpose in life.
Refrain from taking early withdrawals from your retirement account. These withdrawals will have substantial penalties, and will take away from the money that you have set aside. Typically, you will be charged a fee of 10% on top of the federal and state taxes that you will pay, reducing your amount by almost half.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Unfortunately, the problem many people face today is simply not knowing enough about their retirement options to make a decision. Ask friends, family, and coworkers about their retirement plans and your available options. You’ll be surprised to learn that there is a world of possibilities waiting for you.
If your company offers you a 401K plan, contribute as much as you can to it, up to its maximum. This is a great way to save for your retirement. All you need to to do is to contact your HR department, and funds will be deducted from your paycheck automatically each month and deposited into your 401K account.
Invest up to $5,500 a year in an IRA. An IRA is an Individual Retirement Account. $5,500 is the most you can save any given year, unless you are over the age of 50. You’ll have the option of opening a traditional or a roth IRA. This decision is up to you entirely, but should be researched first.
Work on downsizing while approaching retirement, as the money saved will come in handy. You may think you have your finances all figured out, but stuff happens. Big expenses and medical bills can happen at any point, and they can be very hard to deal with once you’re retired.
You can automate your savings! Most things today can be automated and your retirement savings are the same way. Automated options help you make those investments when you just seem to forget. This will allow your nest egg to start growing without you wasting any time thinking about it. This is a great idea for any smart saver.
If you’ve always wanted to be more politically active in life, but simply never had the time, do so in your golden years. The 65+ voting group has become quite a force, and you could have fun expressing your political opinions. Look online or sign up for a local group, and let your voice finally be heard!
Cut back in other areas of life to save more money. Saving money seems impossible when you have very little money left over at the end of the day. Try making small cutbacks in other areas and putting those savings into your retirement plan. You might find that those small dollars make a big difference.
Make sure you set both short-term goals as well as long-term goals. It is important to have goals in place so that you can keep on track. If you plan out the amount you need, you will be aware of what to save. Do a bit of math to help figure it out.
As you plan for retirement, don’t just think about money. Also consider where you want to live, if you want to travel, what sort of medical costs you may have, and if you want to live luxuriously or more frugally. All of this will affect how much money you need.
Never, ever touch your retirement savings before you retire. That money only grows over time when left untouched but added to over time. Do not use it to pay for a vacation, a house or even a college education. Find other ways to save for and finance those possibilities in your current life.
Even if you have a 401k or pension plan, strongly consider an IRA account for more savings. You can contribute up to $5,500 a year, or even more after age 49. The tax savings vary depending on what type of IRA you choose, but they are too powerful to ignore.
Do you feel like you could use the advice you have read about? Make your plans work for you by incorporating these tips into your retirement strategies no matter what age you are. It’s always time to plan for retirement, and the more preparations you make the better off you’re going to be.
