Many consumers want to know the answer to the question, “how much income will you need in retirement”? The common guideline for the amount of money or income that you will need during retirement has been an average of 70%. Most advisers will aim for that number. This is based on the fact that most people will not need as much money to live on during retirement. After all they do not have the expenses of going to work. Their mortgage should be paid off. All of their debt including car loans should also be reduced to zero. They also have less expenses for getting to and from work, less clothes etc.
How much income will you need in retirement – Spending More ?
They may have objectives of going on a vacation, visiting grandchildren, perhaps a once in a time life vacation. For many consumers this number of 70% is probably quite realistic. However it may not work for everyone. It is important to understand what your situation is and how much money you will need once you retire.
For example the couple that is spending to the level of their paycheck each month just before retirement may have difficulty surviving on 30% less than they currently make. Unless they reduce their expenses they will quickly go into the hole. They may run up debt that they probably will not be able to pay for. They may be required to take another job, sell their home to cover expenses etc. This is not something that you want to find yourself needing to do.
Plan for Retirement
If you are nearing retirement now is the time to complete an assessment of how much income you will actually have during your retirement taking into account employment pensions, government pensions and income from savings. At the same time evaluate all of your expenses to understand which ones will continue during retirement and those that will be reduced.
Once you have these two numbers you will be able to quickly understand weather 70% of your income is realistic or not. Don’t forget to include one of a time expenses such as vacation, supporting children, and health issues that may increase the 70% requirement of your income. There is also an age factor to take into account as well. When you initially retire and have your health, there are more opportunities to spend your money on the fun things you like to do. As you age, you may have to gove some things up and switch to others that actually cost less. The big unknown is what will your health care cost and how much will you need to pay for the level of care that you need?
For more information about retirement income and how much you will need in retirement, click here.