Around 71% of U.S. citizens between 66 and 69 years are adequately economically prepared to retire. Whether you’re young or old, it’s better to have a long timeline to prepare for retirement, because it will let you benefits from compounding and asset inflation over time.
Retirement planning can take effort and time. At times, it may seem like a difficult task, but it doesn’t have to be if you follow a few simple principles.
Here are five retirement tips to help you reach your retirement goals.
1. Create Your Timeline
When planning for retirement, identify what age you plan to stop working and how old you’re as you think about it. The difference between the two equals the time you have to save for retirement.
If you’re due to retire in over ten years, then learn about stocks, cryptocurrencies, real estate, and other long-term investments that will benefit you over a longer time horizon.
If you have a few years to your retirement, then be cautious before opting for these types of investment, because their prices can be unpredictable, causing them to rise and fall dramatically.
When making decisions on your retirement, seek assistance from TFRA specialists. TFRA stands for tax-free retirement accounts, of which there three common types: Roth IRA, Roth 401k, and 403B accounts. These specialists can help you to identify the best tax-free and tax-advantaged retirement accounts to create.
2. Retirement Goals
What are your dreams for retirement? If you long for a quiet life at home after retirement, you’ll require fewer savings than one looking forward to extensive travel.
Since your statement of retirement goals will be changing over the years, don’t forget to account for increased financial needs.
3. Decide Whether You’ll Continue Working
If you plan to continue working after retirement, take that income into account.
However, it would help if you were careful because relying on active working income during retirement may come to an end if you have any health complications. You should therefore have enough preserved and invested to cover unknown and unfavorable possibilities.
4. Reduce Your Debt
Consider increasing your monthly loan payments now to pay off any loans you have before you retire. Also try to pay for your major purchases with cash to limit credit card debt.
Reducing existing debts and limiting new one will help to minimize the portion of your retirement income required to pay off past debts and interest payments.
5. Estimate Your Retirement Expenses
Some bills, such as health care, maybe higher later in life. If you retire at 65 years, Medicare is most likely to cover most of your medical costs. But, you may want to consider supplement coverage to help you pay for unplanned medical expenses.
If you plan to travel widely, you should expect to be spending more. If you plan to purchase expensive items like a boat in your retirement, consider saving more towards your retirement.
Preparing for Retirement on Your Terms
Even if your planned retirement is a lifetime away, start preparing for retirement as soon as possible. Plan carefully, automate your savings, and invest into assets that can outpace inflation.
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