Enjoy Retirement Even if You are not Rich

Did you know that the average person estimates that he will need at least $1 million in order to retire comfortably and happily?

While it certainly would be nice to retire on $1 million (or more), that’s just not feasible for most of us, and if you’re in that “most of us” category, you’ll be glad to know that, even without being rich, you can still retire quite comfortably and happily.   

One of the most important things to remember, as you think about retirement, is that many of the expenses that you have right now will not exist in retirement. Consider, for example, that you won’t have to pay Social Security taxes on most types of pension income, retirement account income, investment income, or the like.

You’ll also, more than likely, have your mortgage paid off when retirement time rolls around, or at least have it mostly paid off, which means you’ll be saving money in that regard as well.

Furthermore, your children will likely be independent and out of the home, meaning you won’t have to “fork over” for their costs, nor will you have the expenses that go along with working, like a work wardrobe, gas for commuting, or other transportation costs.

It’s easy to see that you’ll be spending a lot less in retirement than you currently spend, which means you’ll need less money in retirement…for most people, far, far less than $1 million!

The key to a happy retirement isn’t to have tons and tons of money stashed away. It’s to know what your retirement plans are (for the most part), to know how much you’ll need to realistically finance those plans- keeping in mind that some expenses, as mentioned, will no longer exist- and then saving for what you actually need.

Remember, too, that even if you haven’t quite reached your monetary goal when retirement time comes around, you do have other options for making your retirement happy and for making your retirement dreams “doable,” such as retiring a little bit later to receive a larger benefit or working a small job in retirement or finding a fun way to bring in extra money.

Remember, wealth does not equal a happy retirement, nor is it a necessity. Just plan adequately, preferably with the help of a skilled financial planner, and you should be just fine!

When the Rich Retire

You might think that being rich means never having to worry about money, but that’s not true. In fact, recent studies have reported that people who qualify as “wealthy” typically tend to have to reduce their spending in retirement MORE than their peers who earn average incomes.  

Partially, this is just practical. After all, the less money someone has, the less spending they have to reduce. However, it is interesting to note that, even when they don’t really HAVE to, the wealthy tend to cut their spending significantly once they reach retirement. These people often choose to forego a large amount of discretionary spending, all in an effort to save money just in case.

And, really, that saving for the “just in case” situations in life is smart…no matter how much money a person has. Life can throw all kinds of curveballs, especially in a person’s later years, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to being cautious with money.

This is especially true since not ALL spending reduces in retirement. In fact, certain types of expenses, such as health care related costs, are very likely to increase in retirement years. For this reason and because life has a way of delivering the unexpected,, whether you’re rich, poor, or in between like most of us, it’s smart to always have a backup plan in your retirement years.

Be sure to have extra money stashed away in savings for those “just in case” moments, make sure you have good health care coverage, and, when possible, hire a good, qualified financial adviser to provide you with help and advice when it comes to managing your money in your retirement years.

Want to Work in Your Golden Years?

While it used to be very standard to retire in your mid-sixties, now it is becoming more and more common to work until later in life, sometimes even until age 70 and beyond. Some people choose this option just because they enjoy what they do and don’t feel ready to retire. Others want to get more in social security income, which they can do by retiring later. Whatever your reasons, if you are thinking of working until later in life, there are a lot of places that are known for having a thriving senior citizen workforce.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida, USA, which lies along State Route A1A. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One great place to live and work in your golden years is Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This area has plenty of healthcare options available, which is always a plus for senior citizens who tend to need more access to healthcare then other demographics. Plus, the city is kind of a “hotbed” for the retired, so, once you are done working, you can easily stay put for retirement, or you can just enjoy the retirement lifestyle on your days off from work since it will be all around you!   

Medford, Oregon

While the north isn’t most people’s top choice for a place to retire, Medford, Oregon is a nice exception to the rule. It has low tax rates, a huge amount of retirement coummunities, and is really just a city that caters to and makes life fun for the older demographic.

Birmingham, Alabama

Finally, if you don’t mind a little “southern flavor,” Birmingham, Alabama is another great place to retire. For starters, it’s one of the cheapest places to live, which can really be nice if you take a pay cut in your later years or if you don’t end up saving quite as much as you’d hoped for retirement. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding work either, since its senior unemployment rate is surprisingly low, and to make things even better, it has very low property tax rates.

Of course, these are just a few of many awesome places that you could choose to live and work in your later years. If none of these places appeal to you, just do your research until you find your dream place to call home in the later stages of life.

Can You Pay for Retirement with Life Insurance?

Everyone knows that saving for retirement is important. Unfortunately, though, with all the expenses and surprises in life, that isn’t always easy. As such, many people find that, as retirement looms closer, they haven’t saved nearly as much as they hoped.

If you find yourself in that position, however, you may be able to use some of your life insurance cash to help supplement your retirement savings. This isn’t possible with all policies, but a great many of them can be used to add to your retirement fund.

You’re most likely to be able to benefit from your policy if you have a whole life policy. This type of policy would only expire if you chose to cancel it, and, while it does have higher premiums than other types of policies, you typically do earn cash value. If needed, you can borrow against the policy or make direct withdrawals from it during retirement.   

In fact, in most cases, you can do so, up to the amount of cash value in the policy, without having to pay exorbitant taxes, or, in some instances, any taxes.

You may also be able to pay for some of your retirement expenses through a Universal life insurance policy. Like whole life policies, these policies are permanent and do earn cash value. However, your premiums can be adjusted as necessary depending on your financial circumstances, as can your death benefit. This makes Universal insurance a good option for those on a tighter budget.

Universal insurance also has the benefit of acting as an investment. Some of your premium is used toward paying for the policy, of course, but you can also invest some of it as desired. Then, your returns will reflect how the investment performed, allowing you to borrow against the cash value tax-free for as much as you’ve paid in. However, you’ll have to invest smart to avoid losing money.

As you can see, you do have some options for borrowing against your life insurance during retirement. Obviously, the best case scenario would be that you had saved enough to not have to do this, but, if you do find yourself in a jam come retirement time, know that these options are available to you and definitely worth considering.

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Retirement Savings Tips

Retirement is something that will happen to all of us if we’re lucky. Unfortunately, though, it’s also something that most of us tend to put off thinking about. While retirement might seem far away, it will be here sooner than you think, so the key is to start preparing right now, but how much should you be saving?

The answer to that question really depends on what your retirement dreams and goals are. Someone who just wants to live comfortably in his home, for example, is going to have very different retirement needs than someone who wants to travel the world. Thus, the first step is to think about what you plan to do in retirement and how much it will cost; knowing this information will help you to save and plan realistically.     

Retirement Savings Tips

Based on an estimate- remember, it’s always best to estimate high- of your retirement expenses, you should determine approximately how much you need to save per year to meet your goal. In general, though, the rule is to try and save at least 15% of your pretax income, more if you have big plans for your life in retirement.

Try, if you can, to maintain a 401(k) or other workplace retirement accountant where your employer will match your contributions. This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get to that 15% mark (and beyond!).

Also, keep in mind that the sooner you start saving, the better, and the easier it will be to hit that 15% goal. More time gives you more time to save, more time for investments to grow, and just more time to think and plan for what you want to do in the future and how you want to live.

Bear in mind, too, that the longer you work, the better in terms of the amount your savings can and will grow. If you can keep these simple tips in mind and perhaps hire a financial advisor to give you advice and assistance along the way, you should enjoy a wonderful, fulfilling, and above all else, secure retirement.

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The 4% Myth

Retirement isn’t something most people like to think about, but it’s an important thing to think about regardless. Americans today need to have enough assets at the time of retirement to live comfortably, and that can be hard to do if they have poor returns in the early years of retirement. The vast majority of Americans really need to be more conservative in terms of how much they withdraw during

 retirement because that fabled 4% that’s always been quoted as the annual withdrawal rate is really not a safe bet anymore. Now, the average person can really only live comfortably at a withdrawal rate of 2% or under each year.

 

You have to understand that the oft-quoted 4% rate is really just an estimate, a guess. It doesn’t take into account things like investment fees or longer-than-average lifespans, which, by the way, more and more Americans are enjoying these days.

It’s also important to understand that, while that 4% rate has been around a very long time, that’s precisely the problem with it. It’s old and outdated, and in many ways, that makes it irrelevant to today’s modern and rapidly changing world. Don’t let some old, practically arbitrary figure tell you what to do or dictate your life; base your decisions on what’s happening in the world now, today!

 For help determining just how much you should actually withdraw and at what points in your retirement, your best bet isn’t just to go with what you’ve always heard or been told. Instead, it’s to sit down with your financial advisor, look over your finances and personal situation, and then make smart, informed decisions based on that information. That is what is truly going to help you and benefit you the most both now and in the long run as well.

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Is Retirement the Answer?

In most cases, the later a person waits to retire, the more money he or she will receive in retirement. With that said, some people retire earlier than they really should, just because they’re tired of their jobs or are experiencing “burnout.” If you dread going to work every day or are looking forward to retirement a little too much, know that there are some alternatives to try before you plunge headfirst into retirement, which you may find isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  

Alternative #1: Make Money Elsewhere

If you really hate your job and would like to leave it in the near future, start looking for other ways to make money “on the side.” You may, for example, want to turn your love of arts and crafts into a profit-making hobby. Or perhaps you’ll want to go ahead with an idea you’ve been storing up for a long time. Whatever the case, if you can find a way to make money on the side, and it’s something you enjoy, you could eventually work your way into a new career or at least a better, more enjoyable way to make money until you actually are ready to retire. At the very least, you’ll have a nice diversion from the work you don’t want to be doing!

Alternative #2: Change Locations

Sometimes, just a little change of “scenery” can make all the difference. If you work for a business with multiple locations, consider asking to be moved to a new one. Or, you could even go so far as to find a job within the same field but at a new place. Sometimes, changing things up just a bit can provide the boost you need to power through until retirement.

Alternative #3: Exercise and Eat Right

It might sound crazy, but sometimes, when we’re blaming our jobs and everything else for the way

we feel, there’s actually a much simpler reason behind our blues- that we’re not taking care of ourselves like we should. If you have been feeling “blah” for a while, commit to a healthier diet and a little exercise; you should see a big difference in your life, your health, and your happiness, and it might just make your job more bearable.

Alternative #4: Work Toward a Promotion

Finally, you may want to consider trying for a promotion- getting to that “next step” on the corporate ladder. Sometimes, being unhappy at work is just the result of being bored and feeling like you have nothing to strive for. When you work toward something, you’ll feel more driven and involved. Plus, if you do land a higher-up position, you may just have the power to fix the things that bother you.

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Retirees and Renting

It used to be that practically no one would advise any person, of any age, to rent if they could help it. Renting has long been looked at as kind of a “money sinkhole;” you pay your rent, but in return, you get nothing except a place to stay for a month.

In recent years, however, people have started thinking differently, and it’s now becoming more and more common for financial advisors to tell retirees and seniors to rent if they can.     

One of the reasons for this is that home ownership is not nearly as secure as it once was. Many people are finding themselves in debt and losing their homes to foreclosure or losing out as a result of short sales. 

That’s not to say that buying is always a bad idea. Some people, seniors especially, really value living in the privacy of their own home and being able to do whatever they want with it. Others, however, prefer the freedom that comes with renting; they can pick up and move at any time, and they’re not bound by upkeep responsibilities.

Despite the fact that there are some good things about home ownership, the trend these days is for seniors to rent. A lot of them are doing it just for the freedom while others honestly need the money from the sale of their home in order to retire more comfortably.

When seniors do choose apartment living, especially in a community geared toward them specifically, they often enjoy more social interaction. Plus, since apartments tend to be more urban than homes, they also have access to more forms of recreation. Also, they can avoid contractor fraud, a rampant problem affecting the elderly. No home that needs work means no risk for fraud.

For those seniors who want these benefits and who are considering renting, it’s important to choose a place that’s affordably priced and likely to remain that way. A senior citizen will often be on a fixed income, meaning he or she won’t be able to handle a sudden spike in rental rates.

For this reason, apartment communities just for seniors or that offer rent control are the perfect choice.

In the end, there are positives and negatives to both renting and owning a home, and it’s up to seniors and their families to choose the best option for them.

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After 55: A Guide to Later Life Retirement Planning

Retirement is one of those things that sneaks up on you. One second, you’re 25 years old, young and free. The next thing you know, you’re past 50 and still have a lot of planning (and living!) left to do. If you’ve found yourself in this situation, don’t worry. There are still things you can do, later on in the game of life, to help you get ready for retirement.

Start Saving (Seriously!)

                        

Most of us make valiant attempts to save throughout our lives...attempts that often get bogged down by the cares and concerns of real life. Once you hit 55 or so, however, there’s no more time for procrastinating.

If your savings are looking a little slim in your later working years, increase your contributions all around. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to increase contributions to some, or even all, of the following:

l  401(k)                     

l  403(b)

l  IRA

l  Keogh

l  SEP-IRA

The more you can increase your contributions without harming your current financial status, the better, especially if you’re making up for lost time.

Seek Professional Help

Chances are, if you’re worried about your financial status at age 55, you’re probably not the most money-savvy person in the world. Don’t beat yourself up over that fact, however. Instead, take action.

If you’re still struggling with financial matters later in life, there is no better reason to hire an expert. Professional financial advisors can take a look at where you are and where you want to be and find a way to reconcile the two.

Be Realistic

There is a major tendency among people to over or underestimate the amount of money they will actually need to live comfortably once they retire. Whether your plans are too big (sailing around Europe) or too small (living off of senior-citizen priced fare), there is no better time than the present to get them in check.

Sit down and think about what you plan to do in the future, where you plan to live, and what assets you will have working for you. Then, make realistic plans and budgets based on those factors. If you find that you really can’t live on what you’re currently socking away, the nice thing is that you still have time to change it.

In fact, nothing is set in stone until the day you die, so even if you’re past (or well past) the 55 age mark, it’s never too late to start planning for retirement and just life in general sensibly.

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Getting Real About Retirement

A lot of people are curious about when they will actually retire. They want to know a number, an age that they can look forward to. Unfortunately, however, there’s no one “number” that’s accurate for everyone. When a person can retire is highly dependent upon how much money he or she has saved and the level of comfort and income the person requires to live out his older years. Plus, you also

have to keep in mind that many people are choosing to work longer, believing that it helps them to stay healthy, active, and engaged in their lives.

With that said, the “standard” age for retirement is around 65. However, as a result of the recession and a trend toward poor financial planning, average Americans have been retiring well beyond that age in recent years. In fact, a survey conducted by SunAmerica Financial Group reveals that the average person in today’s world won’t retire until the age of 69!

While some people hate the thought of working through most of their 60s, others embrace the idea. No matter how you feel about it, know that waiting does have some benefits. For one, it allows you to have a longer “planning period” for your retirement, which can be useful if you need to catch up in terms of savings. Those who retire later in life also have more years to contribute to their retirement accounts. Waiting can increase social security benefits as well.

Even if you’re planning on being one of those “late life” retirees, however, that doesn’t mean you can slack off on financial planning. To begin with, even though you may think you’ll retire later in life, that’s not always within your control. You could lose your job and have a hard time finding a new one due to your age, or you could fall ill or have to care for a sick spouse.  With so many uncertainties and possibilities, you can’t really just take your chances. You have to save and invest adequately so that, no matter what happens, you’ll be able to make it.

By all means, set a goal for when you want to retire, but don’t build your savings and investment plan solely based on the age at which you’ll retire. A good financial advisor can help you to come up with a foolproof retirement plan that works for you and that will continue to work for you, no matter what life throws your way.

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Seniors Save Big

There are a lot of downsides to getting older. However, there are also some perks, like lots of great senior citizen discounts and even a few freebies. If you are old enough to qualify as a senior citizen, usually defined as someone who is over the age of 65, then you definitely need to be taking advantage of the free offerings available in today’s world. After all, you have worked hard and paid your dues to society, so you deserve some perks. Furthermore, if you’re nearing retirement or already living on retirement income, it’s imperative to save money where you can, and you certainly can’t do that if you’re spending your funds on goods and services you could get for free! Read on to learn about just a few things that senior citizens should never pay for.   

Public Transportation

Most major cities, and even some of the smaller ones, happily offer up free bus, train, and subway rides to those over the age of 65. Even areas that don’t offer free rides typically offer greatly reduced ones. If there is public transportation in your area and you need to use it, definitely ask about possible age-related discounts. Transportation fares may be on the cheap side, but every little bit counts when you’re trying to save money!

Preventative Health Care

Did you know that, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Americans are able to receive many different types of preventative care- meaning care that can prevent them from becoming ill- for free? All kinds of screenings, vaccines, eye examinations, wellness visits, and other services are covered under the act. Find out how the Act affects you and what services you can receive for free and then take advantage of them, not just for your wallet but also for your health and well being!

Fun and Entertainment

There’s really nothing better than free fun, and you can have a great time without spending a dime thanks to the many “fun freebies” offered exclusively to senior citizens. Check out your local senior center; these places usually keep lists of venues that offer free entertainment for seniors. Museums and state parks tend to welcome seniors in for free, and even movie theaters and other entertainment venues often have special free or reduced-price days for seniors. If you don’t have a local senior center, never be afraid to just ask a venue, straight out, about possible senior citizen discounts.

Medication

One of the biggest expenses senior citizens often face is prescription drugs. Believe it or not, however, there are some pharmacies that offer certain medications at heavily discounted or free prices to senior customers. Only some medications qualify, and not all pharmacies offer this option, but it never hurts to ask!

Education

Finally, remember that it’s never too late to learn something new! Many colleges, community colleges, and universities offer free courses to adults age 60 or older. These classes could help you to explore something fun and new, like fiction writing or aerobics, or they could even help you to finally earn that degree.

With so many great free opportunities for seniors, you can easily have a wonderful, full, and healthy life without spending a fortune!

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Don't Take Unnecessary Retirement Risks

These days, people are being way too risky when it comes to their retirement funds. For starters, a lot of investors are relying too much on stocks in their later years. With a huge over-reliance on equities and not enough reliance on fixed income, the retirees of the future are not setting themselves up for happy, secure retirements.

So, why, exactly are today’s retiree’s so invested in stocks and equities? Well, a lot of them are trying to make up losses experienced during the recession while others just love the excitement of stocks. While bonds might be more reliable, the risk taken with stocks is appealing to some, but in the long run, isn’t very practical as a sole or major investment strategy. Investors also tend to prefer the chance of a “big payoff” with stocks to the slow but steady growth of bonds.

So, what’s a smart retiree to do? Fortunately, the answer isn’t to steer clear of stocks altogether.  

Rather, it’s to have a balanced, diverse portfolio and to stick to some solid investment strategies.

To begin with, take a look at your current investments. If you’re over the age of 50 and your retirement funds are made up mainly of stocks or entirely of anything, it’s definitely time to diversify. Talk to your investment advisor about how you can make smart investments that keep risks low while still allowing you to have a diverse investment portfolio.

Also make sure you’re getting all of the fixed income that you’re entitled to. This is very low-risk and well-deserved money, and you don’t want to miss out on any of it. Check to make sure that, if you qualify for any of the following sources of fixed income, you are getting them and that you are getting them to the fullest amount possible:

l  Social Security

l  Certificates of deposit

l  Pension

l  Short-term bonds

l  Lifetime-payout annuities

l  Inflation-adjusted bonds

If you can follow these helpful tips and consistently seek help and advice from a trustworthy financial advisor, there’s no reason you can’t retire securely in your later years.

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Retirement Planning Tips

Most people think of retirement as something very far in the future, something they don’t have to worry about until later. As they think that, however, “later” gets closer and closer, and, before they know it, if they’re not careful, it will be time to retire and they won’t be prepared. Don’t be that person or put yourself in that situation. Follow a few retirement planning tips to make sure you’re more than ready when retirement time comes.

Draw Up a Budget

It might seem silly to plan a budget when you have no real way of knowing what your future

expenses might be. However, there are certain bills you’ll never be able to escape, such as housing costs, medical care costs, and basic living costs. If you can “guesstimate” these costs, as well as whatever income sources, such as social security income, you are likely to have, you can get a fairly clear picture of what your retirement life is likely to be like and then, if you discover something you don’t like, you can start making smart adjustments now, before it’s too late.

Plan to Invest

Just because you retire doesn’t mean you have to stop investing, nor should you. There’s no better time than the present to start thinking about ways you can invest in retirement. Maybe you could use some of your monthly funds to invest in bonds. Or, you might sell a few stocks or buy stock in stable markets. Retirement doesn’t mean you stop living, so you shouldn’t stop preparing for and setting yourself up for the future due to retiring.

Decide Where to Live

One of life’s biggest expenses is housing, so it makes sense that you would want to prepare for this expense when planning for the future. The best way to do that is to have an idea of where you will live when you retire. You can decide, for example, if it would be practical for you to move to a smaller home or even to a new area, where living expenses are lower. If you’re staying put, you need to factor in associated costs and how they work with your retirement budget. The bottom line is that you need to know where you’re going to live when you retire and how you’re going to pay for it.

As you can see, there’s a lot of planning and thinking that needs to get done before retirement. Make your life easier by starting some of that planning right now.

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Make the Most of Social Security

Everyone wants to retire comfortably. However, doing that is a lot easier if you know how to maximize your social security income. The real key to making the most out of social security is knowing when to start claiming it. If you time things right, you could end up bringing in a lot more retirement income.

First things first, just because you can claim social security doesn’t mean you should. People can

typically start claiming their social security income once they reach the age of 62. However, for the average American, that’s much too early to actually start claiming. Even if you do actually retire by this age, it’s still smart to put off claiming.     

The reason is that social security benefits get reduced by about one percent each month for the first thirty-six months they’re collected. So, the sooner you start collecting, the sooner you start getting hit with reductions.

Your marital status and your spouse’s age also play a role in when you should start collecting funds. If you can live off of one’s spouse’s funds for a while and then wait until later to start collecting the other spouse’s, you’ll typically wind up with a lot more in the long run.

The bottom line is that when a person should claim is dependent on a wide range of factors, including whether or not that person is able to support himself somehow without a job and without social security benefits. Since the best claiming time varies from individual to individual, it’s important to work with a savvy financial advisor long before it’s time to consider claiming social security benefits. The right advisor can help you to “strike when the iron is hot,” so to speak, and to maximize your benefits.

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How to Retire the Right Way

Most people work their entire lives. And, even if they enjoy their work, in the end, they hope to one day retire so that they can relax and enjoy their lives and the fruits of their labor. Unfortunately, though, a comfortable and leisurely retirement doesn’t just “happen.” You have to plan for it, and the sooner you start doing so, the better. If you have yet to get started, then there’s no better time than the present to start working toward your retirement goals!   

Save and Invest

In retirement, money doesn’t just come out of thin air! In fact, most people end up relying fairly heavily on money they’ve saved. If you don’t have anything in the bank, though, you don’t have anything to fall back on. As such, it’s important to start a retirement savings account early and to contribute to it regularly. You should also, ideally, have a diverse range of investments that you can use during your retirement. Don’t just start stashing money in the bank though; speak with a qualified financial advisor about the best ways to put your money to work for you and to grow it so that you have a nice nest egg to fall back on when retirement time comes.

Don’t Rack Up Debt

We all know that debt is bad, but unfortunately, a lot of us still find ourselves in it anyway. A lot of debt is accrued when we are young. We imagine that we have loads of time to pay off any debts we accumulate and tell ourselves that we’ll worry about them later. In truth, though, “later” always comes sooner than you expect. If you’re not careful, you could be paying the debts you wrack up in your heyday into and throughout your retirement. If you are in debt, start working to get out of it now. And if you’re not, keep on making smart choices with your money. A big, black cloud of debt is not something you want hanging over your head as you try to enjoy your later years.

Don’t Start too Late

Just as we tend to accumulate debt in our youth, we also tend not to think much about the future. Young people have a hard time imagining themselves as ever being old enough to retire, but age catches up with us all sooner than we think. Even if you’re just starting out in your life and your career, you’d do well to start thinking about retirement. It is never too early to plan for a bright and enjoyable future.

Retirement Tips

The US News & World Report recently released a list of helpful retirement tips, and most of them were pretty solid. The top tip on the list, for example, was to pay off your mortgage as soon as possible, the rationalization being that those who do will virtually be living rent-free during retirement.

retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

Another tip was to take advantage of senior discounts in order to help save for retirement. But there’s a big problem with that particular tip. By the time you’re qualifying for senior citizen discounts, you should already have your retirement planning (and funding!) taken care of. In fact, you should probably already be retired or very close to it.

While it’s fine to follow helpful tips and guides to a point, remember that they are no substitutes for serious retirement planning. If you’re ready to start preparing for your retirement—something you should start doing at as young of an age as you can—then contact the financial experts at Platinum Financial Associates of Naperville.

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Get Retirement Ready

When you’re young and healthy, your focus is likely on your career, not on what happens once that career is over. Everything does come to an end, however, and if you’re smart, the end to your career can be a happy and relaxing retirement. A good retirement experience doesn’t just materialize out of thin air, however; no, a happy retirement takes planning and forethought on your part.

One of the most important things you can do is to develop a plan for your retirement. There are many companies that specialize in retirement planning, and the sooner you can start taking advantage of their

services the better. In addition to general retirement planning, you should also focus on creating goals related to savings and understanding and preparing for what your retirement needs are likely to be. Don’t go it alone, however; contact the friendly retirement experts at Platinum Financial Associates of Naperville.

Related articles

• New Study: Retirement May be Even Better than Expected for Some (blogs.thehartford.com)
• Save Now; Retire Comfortably in the Future (pfinvest.blogspot.com)