Planning your retirement? Here is a short task list to complete before you skip out the door that will help with your finances. These should be done in partnership with a financial planner to eliminate any mis-steps that could have far reaching consequences.
Create An Asset Allocation Strategy You are Comfortable With. Spreading your investments in your retirement accounts in a variety of holdings will help you deal with the ups and downs of the stock and bond market, and keep your savings somewhat stable. Traditional investment strategies suggest that the younger you are, the more risk you can absorb. Those who are preparing for retirement should consider shifting to a more conservative mix. Many financial planners are suggesting target-date mutual funds, based upon age group, which gradually get more conservative as the investor gets closer to retirement. It also is important to remember that your money may have to last 25 – 30 years, so it is important that the allocation strategy is not too conservative as you move into retirement. You will need to keep up with inflation.
Only you know what you are comfortable with, so talk to your financial planner. Trust yourself to make the decisions right for you.
Plan Your Income Stream. Before you stop working, determine how much money you will take each year from your retirement accounts and Social Security. Some financial planners recommend you take only 4% of your retirement funds each year, with a 3% increase each year to cover inflation. However, in current economic conditions, you should consider putting off dipping into your investments until the market has recovered to some extent, or reduce your withdrawals below the 4% level. You also have no need, at this point, to increase the withdrawal until inflation is once again positive. Continue reading ‘Planning Retirement? Improve Your Financial Success’ »