Retirement Income Planning

Remember those television commercials from a decade ago showing people walking around town carrying a giant orange “retirement number” under their arms?

That is what everyone thought a retirement plan should look like. A big number that you divvy up and draw down during your golden years. With that strategy you are taking 100 percent of the risks many retirees may face, from market volatility to longevity risk to healthcare risk.

Modern thinking has taught us that, as the average life expectancy continues to climb (Could age 90 be the new 70?), our real concern should be more than a magic number for retirement savings. It should be creating a retirement income plan that ensures we will have income in retirement that lasts as long as we will. Read More

Over the years, you and your spouse have probably had many wonderful conversations about your retirement dreams. Maybe you talked about traveling to exotic destinations. Maybe you have always wanted to move closer to the grandkids. Or you might have dreamed of taking up those elusive hobbies neither of you had quite the time to pursue.

Of course, there are many things to discuss for retirement so you can prepare for a retirement lifestyle that you both find meaningful. One thing you may not have discussed, or agreed on, is how to harmonize your grand plans with your retirement income plan. Because not only will you need money to fund that retirement wish list… You will still need income to support your everyday needs, not to mention healthcare and other potentially costly unknowns.

What will those needs be? That seems to be where the disagreement begins. According to a Fidelity Investments Couples Retirement Study, almost half of the couples surveyed (47 percent) disagreed on how much they needed to save to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement.

One reason may be the small percentage of couples who have taken time to develop a detailed retirement income plan… just 21 percent, according to Fidelity. Read More

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the government shutdown ended this month. As InvestmentNews noted, bond yields are in flux, and the shutdown could have made things worse.

But while that ship has sailed, other risks still loom on the horizon. Industry analysts point to changing rates overseas, inflation, and predicted Fed rate hikes at home as potential bond market movers. A report from Deutsche Bank lists them, among other concerns, as 30 market risks to watch in 2018. And what’s at the top of that report list? “U.S. inflation moving higher in 2018 Q2.” Read More

If you are among the growing numbers of Americans reaching their retirement savings goals, congratulations!

According to the Center for Retirement Research, 50% of working-age Americans report they could maintain their pre-retirement standard of living in retirement, as measured by the Center’s National Retirement Risk Index. This is a 2% improvement over the center’s previous measure of retirement readiness in 2013.

Thanks to rising home values and stock market all-time highs, the account balances of employer and individual retirement savings plans are flush. So, now that your retirement savings goal is achieved, what should you do next to enjoy the retirement you have worked hard for over many years? Read More

Achieving financial security isn’t an easy task. The dynamics of retirement income planning have evolved. It used to be that retired households could rely upon Social Security and personal pensions for the income they needed.

But that has changed. Now Americans shoulder more individual responsibility for their future income security. Also, life expectancies are on the rise. The challenge becomes ensuring our money will last for a retirement lifetime.    

As you create your own retirement income plan – or consider potential changes to your current plan – here are six risks to retirement income to consider. Keep these potential pitfalls in mind as you formulate your own strategy. Read More

Retirement can bring up a number of concerns, from lifestyle and health to social activeness. There’s also the issue of money. Many people worry about retirement spending, how much they need to save, and how this may affect their current money habits.

In a survey by Allianz Life, nearly one-third of Americans said they are “panicked” or “very worried” about cost-of-living increases and their effects on their retirement lifestyle. 6 in 10, or 64%, said they don’t have a plan to combat rising costs of living in retirement.

From the standpoint of pre-retirement preparation, this brings up an important point: Does spending tend to increase in retirement? Answering this question may play into decisions of managing expenses, controlling spending, and saving for retirement today.

Compared to pre-retirement, many Americans may expect their retirement spending to go down. Having fewer or no commutes to work, children moving out, paying off debts such as a mortgage, not having to deal with a wardrobe for work… these are just a few areas in which expenses can fall.

But many retirees may even see their expenses go up. Healthcare and personal care costs tend to increase sharply. Housing costs, such as home repairs or a roof replacement, may arise if you continue to live in the same place for years. Then there’s time – simply much more time for people to do things and spend money.

So, while there’s no ballpark answer, it’s important to have some idea of potential retirement spending. Here’s a quick look at some data findings and other helpful insights. Read More

Retirement income planning already is difficult. But for small business owners, it poses even more challenges. Despite being used to the hustle-and-bustle of day-to-day tasks and operations, even businesspersons have to slow down at some point.  

Eventually entrepreneurs get to an age when they can’t run their companies like they did before. As a company owner, you likely will face this someday. You may have to reduce your involvement, or it may even be time for an exit. If that’s in the cards, you might have to sell your business or let someone else in the family take it over.

In any case, there’s retirement at the end, and moving into retirement means you have to make plans to safeguard your financial future. In practice, this means being able to pay the bills today while saving enough to live off tomorrow (when your business can be no longer a source of personal income for you – or less income).

Retirement income planning, however, is not a linear thing. It entails holistically evaluating your lifestyle alongside your income and making projections for your life after retirement; then putting in place protections to ensure you can enjoy a lifestyle that’s right for you as long as you live. 

If you are confused about what you should do to retire happy and comfortably, you are not the only one. Many small business owners – not to mention several Americans in general – are in the same boat as you. Read on for some helpful tips to assist you with enjoying more lifelong retirement income certainty. Read More

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

There are many decision-points leading up to retirement. Much of this process relates to financial planning. Should we wish to maintain a comfortable lifestyle, we must have sufficient income to support it. An effective retirement plan will lay out not only income goals we need to achieve, but also personalized strategies to sustain income security.

In earlier years, many of us focused on investment strategies to build up wealth. You may have worked with a financial advisor to find investments or investment packages with solid return potential over time. Or you may have engaged in investment planning yourself. However, retirement brings change, and this includes a shift in financial planning focus – an emphasis on planning for income.

Here’s a quick look at how income planning is different from investment planning – and why you may want to incorporate an income-focused retirement planning approach. Read More

Is your retirement income plan well-suited to your financial needs and goals? Whether you’re creating a personalized strategy or examining one, it’s an important question to consider. After all, any income gaps or shortfalls could lead to real financial setbacks.

With that said, here are some markers you can use to evaluate your income strategy. Read More