Category Archives: Retirement Saving

Do I Have Enough Savings for a Secure Retirement 

secure retirementThis is the main question we all have about our retirement future. How can we figure out what our future will be ? How long will we live? Should we base our life expectancy on how long our parents lived? Or perhaps our neighbors since we share a similar economic situation. A secure retirement means that we need to make an estimate of how long we will work, how long we will live and many other assumptions. In this post, we will discuss these issues and others that many consumers need to factor into their decisions.

Will You Have a Secure Retirement

Are you already retired and wondering if you have enough to live comfortably during retirement? It is time to take stock of a number of things about your lifestyle and your situation. Here are a few, but the bottom line, your income must be the same or more than your expenses. Plus you need savings set aside for emergencies that invariably will come along.

Track expenses – to get an understanding of where your money is being spent. If you need to reduce, then you can start here and identify those areas where you can reduce and how much it will save you.

Track income – to understand how much is coming in and whether it will be enough or not. If not you may have to reduce expenses, go back to work, even if it is just part-time.

Re-evaluate every 6 months – life events and inflation happen all of the time. Recheck all of your calculations on a regular basis to make sure all of your assumptions are still accurate.

Balance income and expenses – as we said income must be higher than expenses otherwise it will eat into your savings quickly leaving you without enough to live on when you are much older.

Earn more, go back to work etc – going back to work can make a huge difference in both your life style as well as your savings. Your money will last much longer.

Reduce expenses

Do you really need to eat out all of the time? Can you make cost cutting painless. Look at all of your expenses and make a decision on those that can be reduced.

Downsize, rent, move in with the kids – if you must, these are drastic reductions that can be made to reduce your expenses.

Obtain expert help – find a financial advisor you can trust and review your situation with him or her. You may want to get several recommendations before settling on one direction or another.

For more retirement saving ideas, click here.

How Couples Sabotage their Retirement Plans

How Couples Sabotage their Retirement PlansThere are lots of ways that couples sabotage their retirement plans. When they do they have to resort to solutions that are brought out in the picture. Some have to down size, some have to move in with their kids. Many have to cut back on their lifestyle drastically. They even need to keep working well past their retirement years just to maintain the standard of living they like to have. There are lots of reasons why this sort of thing occurs, however we are going to focus on how couples sabotage their retirement plans in this post.

How Couples Sabotage their Retirement Plans

There are lots or reasons, however most can be narrowed down into three main categories. The first one being one of the most important.

Lack of Communication – do both partners have the same objectives about retirement? Travel, annual vacation, spending time with the grand kids? What do you want to do in retirement and does your spouse agree? These are just a few of the items that many couples just do not talk about these things and receive a surprise. Set some joint goals now and begin to make plans on how you will achieve them.

Savings in the Wrong Account – Are you placing your savings in the right account? do you obtain the appropriate tax advantages which help save even more funds? A regular savings account is to easy to access, generates too little income and is taxable. Consider a retirement account that protects your gains and income from the tax man.

Not Matching Savings with Dreams – Planning for a new car, saving for travel, matching your retirement income with your retirement plans? These are just a few of the ideas that need to be considered. Develop a plan around when you want to retire. How much money you will need saved and when you will achieve this goal.

A financial advisor can help you with all of these questions. You may need to spend a few sessions with them as you develop your plan. Make adjustments based on the reality of your situation.

How Much do I Need to Save for Retirement

How Much do I Need to Save for RetirementWhen asked the question, “How Much do I Need to Save for Retirement?”, the answer really depends on how much you have already saved for retirement. Also how old you are and what your expectations are for your retirement. We will discuss these topics in a little more detail in a moment. The chart on the left gives and indication of how much money you should have saved by age if your objective is to have one million dollars saved by retirement at age 65. It assumes continuous savings as well as investments that perform and income from those investments being reinvested. It also assumes that you do not dip into these savings at any time for things like house payments, mortgage payments, emergencies and so on. Let’s look at each of the issues we mentioned earlier.

How Much do I Need to Save for Retirement

How much you have already saved for retirement – Your savings rate at your current age will depend on whether you are trying to catch up or just maintain the savings rate you have. If your age 45 for example and have already saved $245 thousand, you are well on the way, providing you continue the savings rate. On the other hand, if your savings are zero, then you have to somehow make up the $245 thousand and also continue savings at the rate called for in this chart to achieve one million by 65 years of age.

How old you are – As mentioned in the previous paragraph, age does matter when planning for retirement. If you are just starting out at age 20, then you have lots of time to achieve the objective, however if your 55 and have not saved enough, then you had better keep working until you have achieved the objective you have set for yourself. The next question really sets the tone for how much do I need to save for retirement.

What your expectations are for your retirement

This is the key to the question. If your expectations are in line with your current lifestyle you are probably ok. If your well on the way to achieving your saving objective, you may be in great financial shape. But let’s assume you want to travel, buy toys that you never had and join golf clubs. You might find that your lifestyle objectives for retirement are much higher. Saving more might be in order to guarantee the lifestyle you are looking for.

The basic question: Do you have enough savings to generate income for you in retirement that meets your current pre-retirement income level. Is that enough to sustain the lifestyle you are planning. If yes, they you are ok, if not, then you either must work longer or save more.

Save

Saving for Retirement

Saving for RetirementHow much should you have saved for retirement? in your 20’s, in your 30’s, in your 40’s, etc?  Knowing how much to save and getting there are two very different things. We suggest that you work with an expert adviser. He will start with your age and your current income level to calculate how much you need to save. He will use a combination of employer contributions, savings, interest income on your savings and pensions that you may or may not be eligible for.  While this can be very complex, it can also be simplified as well by making a list of the income you will have at 65, then decide how much in addition you will need to live in the manner you feel is comfortable for you and your family.

Saving for Retirement

Assume you are making $40k a year and are in your 20’s. Experts feel that you should have at least $4k saved.  By the time you are in your 30’s, the amount should have increased to $82k assuming a combination of interest income and contributions. In your 40’s you should have at least $240k and in your 50’s you should have  over $500k saved. By the time you retire at 65, a consumer should have saved at least $900k in funds available to them to generate the cash flow they will need. If you have a pension income, then these numbers become extra dollars to help enjoy your life during retirement.

The above calculations are merely a guideline or a place to start. If you make substantially more income, you probably want to save more money than was mentioned just to maintain the life style you are comfortable with. Pensions are extra and we urge consumers to obtain expert advice regarding savings levels and your retirement income.

Start when you are younger to begin saving for retirement. It is much easier to meet your retirement objectives when you start young than it is when you start saving later in life.

Save

Don’t Count on Working Longer to Save Enough for Retirement

Don't Count on Working Longer to Save Enough for RetirementPeople consistently over-estimate their ability to work in retirement, and they don’t count on working longer to save enough for retirement. The basic assumption is that you will just continue doing what you are doing. Or perhaps take a retirement package. Maybe you will continue working on contract or even a new career. In fact many people actually accomplish this and work as long as they wish to. The sad fact is that the vast majority  end up with no job. Or working at low paying service jobs that barely provide for their needs in retirement.

Don’t Count on Working Longer to Save Enough for Retirement

A variety of situations can occur that get in the way of continuing to work during retirement. These include just not being able to find another job. This may be caused by sickness and poor health, lack of motivation and falling behind the curve of your industry. This later example happens to many people. They are out of the work force for a period of time. Then try to get back in only to find that technology, systems and processes s have passed them by. They are no longer current and they do not really have the inclination as well as the drive to keep up. As a result they are passed over for younger more up to date candidates.

Layoffs, down sizing, industry closings all lead to job changes at the very least and being out of work when you least expect it. Sickness in your family or yourself can also get in the way. What are consumers supposed to do to deal with these situations.

There are many solutions, some obvious some not so much. The one thing that is most important is to save for a rainy day and save for retirement. Plan to retire at age 50 and if you decide to work longer, that’s fine, at least you have the funds available to allow you to be flexible and enjoy life. Save as if you are going to retire young and also have a rainy day fund available for emergencies. If you cannot find a job, get sick or just do not feel like going to work, at least you can live comfortably.

5 Lies We Tell Ourselves About Retirement Saving

Lies We Tell Ourselves About Retirement SavingWe all tell ourselves lies from time to time. It makes life easier and we are able to get along with our lives. The problem is when we begin believing these lies and do not do something about the issues. But what about Lies We Tell Ourselves About Retirement Saving? We could find ourselves in serious trouble at some point. We may not achieve the retirement that we have always dreamed about. Our team summarized 5 lies we tell ourselves about retirement savings in an effort to help people identify these issues. they may be able to make the changes they need to make to ensure a comfortable and happy retirement.  If you have dreams like the couple in this picture sitting on a sailboat or some other dream, pay attention and quit telling lies to yourself.

5 Lies We Tell Ourselves About Retirement Saving

I have time to catch up on my savings. This is the biggest one that we all fall into. It is simple math to figure out how much money you need to save each month to achieve the level of savings that you will need in your retirement. Your financial adviser can help with these calculations.  You will need to know how much income you need once you retire. What the sources of the income will be? Some will come from pensions and social security. The remainder needs to be generated from savings. How long will you save? How much can you save each month? What interest rate will you assume and how fast will you take out your money in retirement? Your adviser can help you with these assumptions and do the calculation for you.

I am going to die broke. But what happens if you live longer than you expected and now have to live in poverty? Can you predict when you will die? Even if you do not want to leave money for the kids, you still need to make sure you have sufficient funds to live out your life in comfort.

More Lies We Tell Ourselves

I will not linger. Maybe your parents did not linger, but with better health care, we are all living longer. Sometimes we live in spite of ourselves. When the time comes none of us really want to die.

Investment companies just want our money. Yes they want to make a profit, but they only make money over the long term if their clients are doing well. They get paid and they invest your money wisely. At the same time never blindly hand over your money to an adviser. Diversify your investments and get involved so that you know what is going on.

I will adjust to the income I have – easy to say but sometimes very difficult, especially if you must downsize your lifestyle. When we retire we have more time on our hands and that usually means that we spend more money too. Adjustment can be very difficult.

Will Your Retirement Savings Last

Will Your Retirement Savings LastMany people throw up their arms in frustration, confusion, and worry regarding the question. Will your retirement savings last? They seem to have no idea whether their savings will last through retirement or not. There are so many variables to think about. It’s challenging to know if they will have enough money to live comfortably during their retirement. Like all problems of this complexity, it is important to break them down into smaller pieces. For example first focus on your income. How much income will you have and where will that income come from? Your income will come from several sources.  A pension from your company, an old age pension from your government, and income from any savings you may have.

Next focus on your expenses. What expenses do you have now, what will you have in the future and what expenses are under your control where you can make decisions with regard to how much you spend? Once you have this information you can begin to assess whether you will have enough money to last through retirement.

Will Your Retirement Savings Last

Let’s look at income and expenses in a little more detail.

Income

Make a list of all the potential income sources that you have. This would include government pension, company pension that you may participate in, income from savings, and income from Business or rental income that you may have. With regard to savings, Many financial advisors recommend that you only withdraw a maximum of 4% each year. This will provide a conservative approach to ensuring that your savings will last through your retirement. If your savings increase through appreciation then your 4% withdrawal rate will increase as well. once you do the calculations you can quickly determine whether your total income will be sufficient for your retirement as compared to your current income or whether you still need to be working. If not you may want to increase your savings, or work longer.

Expenses

Add up all of your expenses in much the same way as you did your income. First of all identify the fixed expenses for things like the mortgage, rent, utilities, and communications such as cable TV and telephone. You may also have insurance payments or payments for a variety of things that will last for some period of time. The next set of payments or expenses that you should look at is your discretionary expenses. This would include food, clothing, and entertainment as well as vacation travel.

The last group of expenses or expenses associated with things like weddings, emergencies, repair and maintenance to your home, and any other major expenses that may crop up during retirement years. You may want to budget for those in advance.

Once you understand your income level, and your expenses during retirement you can then analyze both to make adjustments according to the lifestyle that you would like to live. You may have to generate more income to maintain your lifestyle or conversely you may need to reduce your expenses in some areas to live in the manner that you feel comfortable. The decision is up to you.

Secrets of successful retirement savers

successful retirement saversIf you’re thinking about retirement in your early 40s 50s or even in your 60s you’re probably wondering what does it take to have a happy and successful retirement. Recently several authors did a study and surveyed over 510 people to learn the magic behind retirement and successful retirement savers.

The following are some of the comments that came out of the study. One of the most significant items regarding retirement is the focus on living within their means. They had a savings plan for retirement. They have calculated how much they would need when retired and began saving for that eventuality.

Over 60% of the people surveyed we’re saving between six and 20% of their income every year. Of course there were some people who are saving more. Some people are saving less but the majority have savings plan in place which was in conjunction with any pension that they might be receiving.

Many of those people up to 44%, said they were comfortably retired. They had less than $500,000 in assets. This was a huge surprise to the authors preparing this report. It really means coming to terms with what they want out of retirement. Also how much money they will need during retirement. If you follow the 4% rule then someone with $500,000 in assets could expect to have $20,000 in income from theirr savings plus pension income. This may be sufficient for many however for many others they would require much more in savings.

Successful Retirement Savers

Another important point about successful retirees is that they are prudent with her funds. Some people would’ve thought them as being frugal. But only 35% of the people consider themselves to be frugal. The rest said that they would spend enough to live comfortably. Obviously it is a question of managing income and expenses to everyone satisfaction.

many people also used financial advisors, up to 62% of the people surveyed used advisors. And they felt that the financial advisor helped them with their savings.

For their retirement, many people felt they made big mistakes. While they were saving for their retirement was not getting into the stock market soon enough or getting out too late. Another concern was substantial healthcare costs. Over 25% are concerned about maintaining their standard of living while dealing with inflation, lifespan increasing and healthcare costs.

Many people have a car that is over two years old and have their homes paid for. They avoid carrying credit card balances and avoid borrowing money. They have a monthly budget and they stick to it and they have discipline as investors.

How to Retire Early

How to Retire EarlyHow to Retire Early and have enough money to last well into your golden years is the big question that many people are facing. They turn to experts and to investment advisers, however there are some things that you need to do that the experts do not really talk about too much. They are often too interested in selling investment products to you. Retiring early is all about managing our expenses. If for example you can downsize and move to an area of the country that has lower taxes, lower cost for heating, lower property values and lower taxes then you can probably sell your existing home payoff your debt and live quite comfortably on much less money. This is what one couple who moved from Chicago to Tennessee did.

How to Retire Early – Save Aggressively

Another person made a very good salary, in fact they were making approximately $110,000 per year but lived like they were only making $50,000 per year so they were able to set aside $60,000 over a ten-year period and combined with interest income able to save $800,000 towards a retirement in less than 10 years.

Downsize and Mid Course Corrections

While downsizing might be the right answer for many people, retirees should always be prepared to make mid course corrections. If for example you have downsized and still found that your expenses are too high for the lifestyle that you lead or for your budget, be prepared to make another downsizing decision which will decrease your expenses even more so. For example one couple was paying $1000 a month for the upkeep of the grounds around their home. They found that they could move to another place and still only pay $93 per month for that same upkeep. They also were prepared to do more of their own landscaping etc. This is an example of making mid course corrections during your retirement years.

Started a business

Another approach to retiring early, is to start your own hobby type business. If you can augment your income by $10,000 a year, this may be sufficient to provide you with sufficient income to bridge the gap. And you get to do your hobby as well.

The writer for example has retired when he was 48, but has been building websites and blogging for the last 15 years. He has been able to augment his income sufficiently to live very comfortably.

Become a landlord

Another approach to generating income and allowing yourself to retire early is to buy property. Rent it out and use the rental income to pay for the property mortgage and taxes. Once the property is paid for you have the choice of either selling it. Or using the capital to live on. Or continuing to rent it and using the rental income as part of your own personal income to live on after payment of all expenses associated with property.

Live on one income

If you are lucky enough to have two incomes, can afford to live on only one income? The best approach is to save the second person’s income toward your retirement. This will provide a great deal more savings opportunity and quality of life for you when you plan to retire. It is all about saving sufficient money to invest in to live on when you retire.

For many more posts about retirement planning, click here.

Save

Retirement Super Savers

Retirement Super SaversRetirement super savers have a plan and a set of objectives for their lives. They are focused and are determined to be independent financially as early as possible so that they have the freedom to do what they want. This could mean retiring early or it could men working until they are in their 80’s. The thing they have in common is that they are working under their own terms when and where they want. There are lots of benefits to having the freedom to retire when you want. Just knowing that it does not matter if you work or not can significantly improve the stress level in your life, give you freedom to travel and enjoy life when other people are going to work everyday and envying your lifestyle. The following is a list of potential objectives that anyone including retirement super savers may have.

Review them and decide what you need to do to achieve your objectives. Change them if you want, but make them your own. Set up a plan to achieve then and stay focused. The main objective is independence. Some of these are both objectives and benefits depending on how you look at them.

Objectives of retirement Super Savers:

  • Retirement at 65
  • Save at 10% or
  • Super save at 20 or 30%
  • Retire early
  • Change careers
  • Independence to do your thing
  • Invest well
  • Diversity
  • Income & growth
  • Stay away from high risk
  • Work as long as you want then change careers or retire

Fundamentally if you aim to have enough savings to allow retirement to be considered in your late forties or early 50’s, then you really have a lot of flexibility in terms of what you do with the rest of your life. You can keep right on working if that is what you really want to do. You can also play golf every day or travel etc. The point is that you will have the flexibility to whatever you wish to do and not really have to worry about where the money is going to come from.

Some people love to work. But they really do not like the job they are currently doing or they want to start their own business. Now they can do this if they were a super saver during the early part of their career. The one caveat that we want to bring to everyone’s attention is that they need to protect the nest egg they have created. For example we do not think it is a good idea to take all of your savings and sink it into a new business venture no matter how strongly you feel about it. You risk your savings and could find yourself having to go back to work if the business fails for whatever reason. Diversity is always one of the most important caveats of the super savers.