If you are someone who is just retiring, it can seem somewhat of a challenge. This can be especially true if your job defined your life before retirement. Though it can be a great time, it is far different than your previous working years. Get ready to have the time of your life by following the tips below.
Determine what your needs and expenses will be in retirement. It has been proven that most folks needs at least 3/4 of their current income to enjoy a comfortable retirement. If you are in the lower tax bracket, you may need 90 percent of your income to retire.
The majority of people eagerly anticipate the day on which they can retire, particularly after working for years. They will think that retiring will be great since they can do activities that they couldn’t when they worked. In reality, your retirement plans need to start many years or decades before you actually retire.
Partial Retirement
Consider partial retirement. If you cannot afford to retire fully, consider a partial retirement. This could take the form of keeping your current career, but only part-time. You can still have an income, relax a bit more, and transition to full retirement when you are ready.
Stay in shape and keep healthy! Your bones and muscles must be maintained, and exercise will improve your cardiovascular system as well. Workout regularly to help you enjoy your golden years.
If you can hold off on Social Security, do so. This will increase the money that you get per month. This will be easier to do if you can still work, or if you have other sources of retirement income.
Try reducing expenses as you go into retirement, as those savings can help you out a lot in the years to come. Sometimes things come up and you need more money than expected. Unexpected big expenses, such as medical bills, can crop up at any time, but they can be particularly problematic during retirement.
Most people think they have the time do whatever they want to once they retire. Your retirement will be here before you know it, and the time will then seem to fly by. When you plan in advance, you are able to use your time better.
You might want to look into getting a health plan that covers long-term care. Health generally declines as people get older. As you get older, you can expect your medical costs to increase. Long term health plans help alleviate the strain of increase costs.
Pension Plan
Figure out what kind of pension plans your employer has. If your employer offers a traditional pension plan, find out how it works. What happens to that plan when you change jobs? Find out if you can get any benefits from your previous employer. Perhaps you are eligible for benefits from the pension plan of your spouse.
You are allowed to deposit extra money in your IRA if you are age 50 or over. Typically, there is a limit of $5,500 each year which can be contributed to an IRA. Once you reach 50, however, the limit will be increased to about $17,500. It is great if you get started late but still need to save a lot.
When you determine what you need for retirement, think about living a lifestyle to the one you currently have. You will need approximately 80 percent of your current income to maintain your lifestyle. When your retirement actually comes about, you will need to rein in the impulse to spend a lot more on your leisure activities.
Downsizing can help you stretch your money. Even if you are mortgage free, there are still many expenses that go hand in hand with home ownership. Downsizing to a smaller house makes economic sense for retirement. This can save you quite a bit of money.
No matter how bad your financial situation may be, never tap into your retirement savings until you are actually retired. Doing this can make you lose principal and interest. You may even lose some of the money you saved due to penalties, as well. Don’t use the retirement money until you retired.
A reverse mortgage is helpful to many people during their retirement. Reverse mortgages let you keep your home, but take a loan out against it. You do not have to make payments; instead, the loan becomes due on your death. This is excellent for adding extra funds when you need them.
You need to learn all that you can about Medicare and what it will provide you and what it will not provide for you. If you already have insurance, you should learn how they will work together. Learning more about the topic helps ensure full coverage.
Social Security
Don’t count on Social Security to cover all your bills. It will be helpful, but it’s generally not enough to live on. Social Security will typically give you less than half of what you are currently making; that generally isn’t enough.
You may be able to turn a former hobby into a profitable venture. Perhaps you want to try your hand at sewing or writing. You can sell what you make for an additional income.
Pay off your debt well before retirement. Trying to pay off old loans will cause you a lot of stress. Get prepared now for your retirement.
As you can probably surmise, retirement can be an enjoyable experience. You are in complete control of your life, and you can make your life anything you want it to be. Use the advice here to create a great retirement for yourself.
