By Marc C. Shaffer
For many, a new year means a fresh financial start. For those nearing retirement, it means another day closer to a momentous transition. Whether you have your retirement date circled on the 2024 calendar or coming up in the next few years, the new year can be a great time to get your financial ducks in a row and make sure you’re checking the right boxes before the big change.
Am I spending the right amount in retirement?
New retirees sometimes worry that they are spending too much, too soon. Should they scale back? Are they at risk of outliving their money? This concern may be legitimate.
If the idea of retiring in your early 50s, 40s, 30s, or even late 20s appeals to you, you may be interested in joining the FIRE retirement movement. Designed for those who have the discipline and cash flow to save diligently, FIRE can be an effective path toward...
If the idea of retiring in your early 50s, 40s, 30s, or even late 20s appeals to you, you may be interested in joining the FIRE retirement movement. Designed for those who have the discipline and cash flow to save diligently, FIRE can be an effective path toward living a work-optional lifestyle. In this article, we will discuss what FIRE is and whether or not it may be right for you.
In the final days of 2022, Congress passed a new set of retirement rules designed to facilitate contributions to retirement plans and access to those funds earmarked for retirement.
The law is called SECURE 2.0, and it is a follow-up to the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act passed in 2019.
The sweeping legislation has dozens of significant provisions; here are the major provisions of the new law.
Are you thinking about retirement in the next few years or sooner? Feeling prepared for such a major life transition could help you manage the stress and even look forward to this exciting time. This checklist covers 32 important planning issues to identify and consider for anyone who is about to retire. We’ll look at:
Preparing for retirement is not entirely financial.
Your degree of happiness in your “second act” may depend on some factors that don’t come with an obvious price tag.
Here are some non-monetary factors to consider as you prepare for your retirement.
Retirement can hit you like a brick wall if you let it. Without any planning and envisioning of your ideal retirement, you might be thrust into a new phase of life that leaves you feeling uneasy and unneeded. However, if you take some time to envision what an ideal retirement looks like to you, you may be much better prepared for this new phase of life. If you are nearing retirement, think about these questions:
When our parents retired, living to 75 amounted to a nice long life, and Social Security was often supplemented by a pension. The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that today’s average 65-year-old woman will live to age 86½. Given these projections, it appears that a retirement of 20 years or longer might be in your future.
Are you prepared for a 20-year retirement?
How about a 30-year or even 40-year retirement? Don’t laugh; it could happen. The Society of Actuaries predicts that an average healthy woman that reaches age 65 has a 44% chance of living past 90, and a 22% chance of living to be older than 95.
By Marc C. Shaffer
Life has changed and many have changed their mindset along with it. One major point of change has been careers – what they can offer, what’s important to you and what career it will take to live the life you want. During the pandemic, many people realized the desire for greater flexibility in their life and decided to start their own business. Pandemic entrepreneurs.