Retirement Planning Blog

6 Biggest Retirement Income Planning Mistakes to Avoid

6 Biggest Retirement Income Planning Mistakes to Avoid

Sure, life happens and we make mistakes. We learn and try not to repeat them. But in retirement income planning, the margin for error is smaller. Just one or a few mistakes could derail your goals or even put your retirement on the rocks.  

If you are someone who plans to retire within the next 10 years or sooner, now is the perfect time to start putting your financial house in order. However, as you devote attention to daily tasks in the workplace and your household, it can be hard to make your post-work future a priority. But retirement can come sooner than you think, and it’s prudent to start preparations before your time has passed.

So, meet with your financial professional to discuss your goals, review the status of your retirement assets, and evaluate your financial picture. And as you near your retirement, it’s important to refrain from critical income planning mistakes. From bad saving and spending habits to easy-to-overlook risks and planning pitfalls, here are six critical retirement income planning mistakes you should avoid. Read More

Safe Money Advisors — 5 Steps to Finding the Right Financial Professional for You

Safe Money Advisors -- 5 Steps to Finding the Right Financial Professional for You

Are you looking for help on how to retire safely and comfortably? “Safe Money Advisors,” or financial professionals offering safe strategies, can provide solutions to help you reduce risk and manage uncertainty. But so many are promoting themselves online and elsewhere. Whom can you turn to for the guidance you need?

As you consider different candidates, conduct careful due diligence. Just like doctors and lawyers and their specialties, not all financial professionals specialize in retirement planning. Any advisor you meet should state clearly their focus on retirement issues, and communicate that expertise. As you meet with them, pay attention to the language and concepts they use – do they speak of the need to plan for income, financial protection, risk management, and lifestyle goals?

Here are some other variables to weigh as you evaluate different Safe Money Advisors to help with your financial future. Read More

Where Do Americans Stand in Their Retirement Planning Knowledge?

Where Do Americans Stand in Their Retirement Planning Knowledge?

Virtually everyone understands that money doesn’t grow on trees. But what about planning for retirement? If recent research gives any indication, many Americans may be coming up short. In the 2017 Retirement Income Literacy Quiz – courtesy of The American College for Financial Services and the New York Life Center for Retirement Income – most quiz-takers received barely-failing or below-failing grades.

To measure retirement literacy, the test comes with two options: a six-item questionnaire on key retirement planning areas, and a more comprehensive test with 38 questions. With retirement literacy and retirement planning success being closely linked, you may want to check out the six-question quiz yourself to gauge your own retirement readiness.

So, what exactly did these questions ask? And how did Americans fare in their retirement knowledge? Let’s delve into the data now. Read More

Let’s Talk: Generational Habits and Conversations about Money and Retirement Planning

Let's Talk: Generational Habits and Conversations about Money and Retirement Planning

You have probably heard plenty of old platitudes about the importance of taking action. For many, “if you’re going to talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk” is one such truism. But in money matters, people often hesitate to prepare for their retirement future. For that matter, they might not even discuss it with their family and other loved ones.

In various research studies, the findings are stifling. Not only are Americans struggling with retirement readiness, debt, and living within their financial means. They may limit themselves in their discussions of financial matters. Money may be a taboo subject or people may be embarrassed about their personal financial circumstances to the point of not wanting to discuss them – not to mention other possible factors.

So, just how are Americans going about retirement and financial topics? And how might this affect future generational spending and saving practices? Let’s dive into the numbers. Read More

7 Reasons Why People Don’t Buy Life Insurance — And Why They’re Misguided

7 Reasons Why People Don't Buy Life Insurance -- And Why They're Misguided

Lots of people agree on the importance of life insurance. But it’s something that many of us don’t own, as research indicates.

According to LIMRA, a financial research group, 30% of U.S. households owned no life insurance at all just a few years ago. About 48% of households, or 60 million families, had an insurance gap that averaged $200,000 from what they actually needed. Factoring in average total coverage, almost 5 in 10 families would have only three years of household income replaced by their life insurance policies.

So, what are some reasons that Americans aren’t buying life insurance? Read More

What to Think About When Discussing Retirement with Your Spouse or Partner

What to Think About When Discussing Retirement with Your Spouse or Partner

Have you and your spouse discussed your goals and expectations for retirement so that you can be fully prepared? Not that much? You’re not alone. According to research from Hearts and Wallets, more than half of Americans (58%) are struggling with retirement planning, estate planning, and making investment decisions.

An article on NextAvenue.org talks about why this might be case. Part of the trouble is baby boomers have a lot of emotional hopes and dreams tied up in their retirement. They also have goals they want to accomplish before they retire, which may lead to delays in retirement decisions. As for estate planning, many older Americans simply don’t feel a strong urge to deal with estate matters yet.

As you approach retirement, it’s time for discussions. You should have frank conversations with your partner about retirement, what you want it to be, and how you will pay for it. This is a crucial step in being able to enjoy a secure and comfortable future. Let’s go over some important steps to take. Read More

Understanding Risk Tolerance for Retirement Planning Success

Understanding Risk Tolerance for Retirement Planning Success

Like everything else we do, saving for retirement involves risk analysis. We might not think about getting in the car to go to the grocery store, or even booking our dream vacation to hike the Inca Trail in Peru, as particularly risky decisions. But there are still elements of risk involved in every choice we make.

Your risk tolerance will help to you maximize and protect your retirement savings when you make sound choices. As you save and near retirement, your risk tolerance should change, adapting to your financial and income needs. In order to manage your retirement planning effectively, you need to understand your risk tolerance, grasp your financial needs in retirement, and make effective decisions about your savings and asset allocation.

Overall, you should be ready for a “smooth” financial transition into retirement – when you stop earning a full-time salary or business income, and start drawing on the savings you accumulated over many years. Working with a financial professional will help you meet your retirement income and financial goals, like the independent financial professionals at SafeMoney.com.

Let’s go into more detail about risk tolerance and why it’s so important. Read More

Is It Time to Lock in Those Stock Market Gains?!

Is It Time to Lock in Those Stock Market Gains?!

American markets have been enjoying a recent stock market rally, with some markets posting double-digit increases. It is the nature of the markets to rise and fall. So if you are approaching retirement, this might be the time to begin to lock in your stock market gains. If you’re wondering why, think about it. Many Americans will be relying on their portfolio money for retirement income once they leave the workplace. It may be to pay for spending quality time on the green, sailing, horseback riding, getting away on vacation, or whatever their preferred retirement activities may be.

Older Americans tend to have less invested in stocks because they move their savings out of higher risk vehicles in their pre-retirement years. This is typically to protect their retirement nest egg, since they tend to have less time for recovery. Unfortunately, many Americans are still reeling from losses from the 2008 financial crisis. They are looking at a delayed retirement.

You can take steps to protect the financial gains your portfolio has enjoyed and start preserving your wealth for your retirement lifetime. This may call for a shift in financial focus — a start to evaluating safer retirement vehicles which have a lower risk profile than equities, like annuities and life insurance. It is a good idea to review your portfolio at least once a year, to review to make sure that your portfolio is meeting your goals, objectives, and expectations. As you approach retirement, you may want to begin to transfer your portfolio to a more risk-adverse position and realize any financial growth you’ve achieved before the markets make their natural corrections. Read More

5 Summer Saving Tips to Sock Away Your Money

5 Summer Saving Tips to Sock Away Your Money

When you think about saving for retirement, it’s easy to focus on putting more money away and diversifying your investments or retirement funds. Another easy way to not only find more money for retirement, but to also get used to living on less, is to reduce your current spending and monthly bills. As always, you can stop buying that delicious latte every morning.

James C. Molet at Retirement Savvy runs an excellent feature called Living Frugally that provides excellent advice on cutting daily expenses, but let’s focus on some of the big-ticket expenses that are eating up your income and future retirement savings. Read More

How to Live Your Pre-Retirement Life in Preparation for Retirement

How to Live Your Pre-Retirement Life in Preparation for Retirement

You’re thinking about retirement. Maybe you have 5-10 years left to prepare for this exciting change. It’s time to consider what you need to do to ensure you have sufficient money for the retirement lifestyle you want.

Let’s assume you and your partner have talked about your retirement expectations and know how much you will need, how much you have, and a plan for reaching those financial goals. Then you can take these final years before retirement to prepare and ensure that you are able to enjoy retirement.

Let’s get into some of the issues you and your partner should be thinking about as you approach your post-work years. Read More

Next Steps to Consider

  • Start a Conversation About Your Retirement What-Ifs

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    Start a Conversation About Your Retirement What-Ifs

    Already working with someone or thinking about getting help? Ask us about what is on your mind. Learn More

  • What Independent Guidance
    Does for You

    independent vs captive advice

    What Independent Guidance
    Does for You

    See how the crucial differences between independent and captive financial professionals add up. Learn More

  • Stories from Others
    Just Like You

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    Stories from Others
    Just Like You

    Hear from others who had financial challenges, were looking for answers, and how we helped them find solutions. Learn More

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